fcibrarp  of  Che  theological  ^eminarjp 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


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PRESENTED  BY 

The  Estate  of 
Victor  H.  Lukens 

"RC4, 05 
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THE 
POWER  TO 


HEAL 


* 


A  handbook  for  the  practice  of  healing 
according  to  the  methods  of  Jesus 

* 

By  HENRY  B.  WILSON,  B.D. 

Founder  of  the  Society  of  the  Nazarene 

Foreword  by 

The  Right  REV.  C.  H.  BRENT,  D.D. 
Bishop  of  Western  New  York 
With  additional  Chapter  and  New  Prayers 
edited  by  the  Director  of  the  Society 

* 


Copyright  1923 
By 

THE  NAZARENE  PRESS 
ASHEVILLE,  N.  C. 


s 


CONTENTS: 


PAGE 


Preface  to  the  Third  Edition .  3 

Foreword  .  ^ 

PART  I 

Chapter  I.  The  Formation  of  a  Group . 

Chapter  II.  Plan  for  Group  Meeting .  20 

Chapter  III.  Silence  and  Preparation .  29 

1.  The  Value  of  the  Silence .  29 

2.  Listening  for  His  Voice .  33 

3.  The  Soul  in  Action .  39 

Chapter  IV.  Intercessions  and  Visitations .  43 

PART  II 

Topics  for  Study .  37 

Chapter  I.  The  Character  of  the  Work .  57 

Chapter  II.  The  Importance  of  the  Work .  61 

Chapter  III.  The  Preparation  for  the  Work .  64 

Chapter  IV.  A  Vision  of  Unity .  69 

PART  III 

Nazarene  Prayers  and  Litany .  72 

Healing  Formulas  and  Affirmations .  84 


Preface  to  the  Third  Edition 

The  practice  of  Healing  as  a  pastoral  function  is 
coming  to  be  more  and  more  a  normal  part  of  parish 
work.  Many  more  books  are  available  today  on  this 
important  subject  than  could  be  obtained  when  this 
little  handbook  made  its  first  appearance  some  years 
ago.  It  is  far  from  our  purpose  to  duplicate  books 
and  manuals  on  the  healing  ministry  which  are  now 
easily  accessible  to  every  minister  and  layman. 

Therefore  in  this  new  edition  of  “The  Power  to 
Heal”  we  have  deliberately  omitted  the  chapter  on 
the  Anointing  of  the  Sick  with  the  service  which  ac¬ 
companied  it,  and  we  have  substituted  some  Prayers 
and  Healing  Formulas  which  we  think  will  be  far 
more  useful  to  the  majority  of  our  readers. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  this  book  is  pri¬ 
marily  a  Manual  for  the  members  of  the  Society  of 
the  Nazarene,  not  a  treatise  of  Healing,  nor  a  text¬ 
book  on  the  technique  of  healing.  The  clergy  who 
desire  to  study  or  practise  healing  according  to  the 
most  ancient  and  approved  liturgies  are  directed  to 
the  author’s  earlier  work,  “The  Revival  of  the  Gift 
of  Healing,”  which  contains  the  office  for  Anointing 
together  with  instructions  for  this  and  other  healing 
offices.  An  excellent  pamphlet  containing  rubri¬ 
cated  offices  for  the  Laying-On  of  Hands  and  the 
Anointing  of  the  Sick  can  be  obtained  for  fifteen 
cents  from  the  publishers  (A.  R.  Mowbray’s  of 
London)  or  can  be  purchased  in  the  U.  S.  A.  from  the 
Morehouse  Publishing  Co.  We  recommend  every 
interested  clergyman  to  send  for  this  excellent  pam- 


3 


phlet.  Other  good  books  on  Anointing  are  Canon 
Keymer’s  “The  Anointing  of  the  Sick”  (Mowbray, 
London;  and  Morehouse  Co.,  Milwaukee);  and 
“The  Anointing  of  the  Sick,”  by  the  Rev.  F.  W. 
Puller,  M.A.  (S.P.C.K.,  London;  and  E.  S.  Gorham, 
New  York). 

The  Healing  Formulas  and  Affirmations  in  the 
last  chapter  have  been  added  largely  on  the  advice 
of  Sir  William  Willcocks,  K.C.M.G.,  of  Cairo, 
Egypt,  a  member  of  the  Society  and  one  who  has 
studied  carefully  both  the  devotional  and  practical 
aspects  of  Christian  Healing.  He  wrote  asking  the 
new  Director  for  some  such  outlines  as  these  which, 
he  pointed  out,  had  not  been  previously  supplied  to 
our  members  and  were  really  needed.  Sir  William 
has  himself  published  an  excellent  little  booklet  of 
healing  prayers,  many  of  which  have  been  published 
in  The  Nazarene  from  time  to  time. 

Those  who  derive  no  help  nor  inspiration  from 
these  formulas  and  affirmations  are  respectfully 
asked  to  ignore  them  and  to  employ  such  methods  as 
secure  for  them  the  best  results.  Let  us  remember  how 
infinite  are  the  varieties  of  Religious  Experience  (as 
for  example  read  Prof.  Wm.  James’  famous  Gifford 
Lectures),  and  let  us  be  willing  to  learn  from  those 
who  have  successfully  demonstrated  the  efficacy  of 
this  method  or  that,  and  then  adopt  that  method  of 
Healing  (whether  for  ourselves  or  for  others)  which 
best  serves  as  a  vehicle  for  the  expression  of  that 
“Spirit  which  worketh  within  us.” 

Finally  let  us  take  heed  to  the  words  of  St.  Paul: 
“Now  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same 


4 


Spirit;  and  there  are  differences  of  administrations, 
but  the  same  Lord;  and  there  are  diversities  of 
operations,  but  it  is  the  same  God  which  worketh  all 
in  all.  But  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given 
to  every  man  to  profit  withal.”  I  Corinthians 
12:4-7.  The  Director  invites  correspondence  from 
those  who  have  tried  these  and  other  methods  suc¬ 
cessfully.  By  classifying,  correlating  and  synthe¬ 
sizing  the  experience  gained  in  this  ministry  of  heal¬ 
ing,  we  may  make  the  next  edition  of  this  book  still 
more  valuable  to  our  members  as  well  as  to  the  clergy 
and  the  Church  at  large. 

A.  J.  GAYNER  BANKS, 

Director,  S.N. 

Asheville,  N.  C. 

St.  Luke’s  Day,  1923. 


5 


I 


Foreword 

The  substance  of  these  pages  represents  an  im¬ 
portant  phase  of  faith.  We  must  remember  that  faith 
does  not  consist  in  departments  or  in  detached  acts. 
Faith  is  the  unvarying  and  progressive  activity  of  the 
Christian  life.  It  is  neither  an  act  nor  a  series  of 
acts.  All  that  the  Christian  does,  however,  should 
be  the  expression  of  faith.  It  is  increasingly  evident 
that  even  the  glimmerings  of  faith  which  we  have 
affect  appreciably  the  entire  life  including  the  body 
as  well  as  inner  faculties.  That  science  has  an  im¬ 
portant  part  to  play  in  maintaining  and  recovering 
health  is  a  fact  no  sane  person  can  deny.  But  science 
without  God,  whether  in  matters  pertaining,  to 
physical  health  or  whatever  department  of  life,  is  a 
poor  thing  and  can  do  less  than  the  work  that  God 
intended  it  to  do. 

It  is  a  calamity  that  the  Prayer  Book  provides 
such  wholly  inadequate  and  feeble  prayers  for  the 
sick.  For  many  years  I  have  never  used  any  of  them 
but  one,  supplementing  this  by  extemporaneous 
prayers  or  carefully  prepared  prayers  from  other 
sources. 

In  any  society  like  the  Society  of  the  Nazarene 
we  must  be  careful  to  recognize  that  its  object  is  to 
bring  before  the  Church  that  which  is  inherently  the 
duty  and  opportunity  of  the  Church  as  such.  We 
must  avoid  making  a  cult.  What  this  Society  hopes 
to  do  is  to  aid  in  awakening  the  Church  to  her  re¬ 
sponsibility.  It  is  not  by  virtue  of  our  belonging  to 


6 


this  or  any  other  society  that  looks  toward  the  healing 
of  the  body  that  we  accomplish  anything.  It  is  rather 
by  virtue  of  the  fact  that  we  dive  into  the  great 
Treasure  House  of  the  Church  to  which  the  Society 
has  drawn  our  attention  and  by  means  of  the  precious 
things  there  make  our  contribution  to  the  well-being 
of  God’s  people. 

C.  H.  BRENT, 
Bishop  of  Western  New  York. 


Note. — This  book  was  written  primarily  as  a 
handbook  for  members  of  the  Society  of  the  Naza- 
rene.  Because  of  the  very  great  demand  it  has  been 
given  a  general  circulation.  Those  taking  the  subject 
up  for  the  first  time  should  bear  this  in  mind.  What 
this  book  offers  will  be  much  clearer,  and  more 
readily  accepted  when  the  reader  is  familiar  with 
Nazarene  principles  and  literature. — H.  B.  W. 


7 


CHAPTER  I 


The  Formation  of  a  Group 

One  of  the  surest  signs  that  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  the  Nazarene  (or  any  other  true  Christian 
in  fact),  has  grasped  the  truth  of  our  Lord’s  healing 
power  in  his  life,  is  his  desire  to  carry  that  good  news 
on  to  someone  else.  One  cannot  truly  experience  the 
consciousness  of  His  presence  and  guidance,  and  the 
fullness  of  this  great  joy  without  desiring  to  share  it. 
It  does  not  mean  prevailing  upon  another  person  to 
join  the  Society.  That  may  be  the  result,  but  it  is  not 
the  primary  object.  When  one  possesses  this  truth  as 
his  own  he  must  tell  it,  he  must  show  it,  and  this 
demonstration  cannot  fail  to  attract  others  and  in¬ 
spire  within  them  a  desire  for  a  similar  joy,  a  desire 
to  be  partakers  of  the  many  blessings  God  has  to 
bestow,  but  which  hitherto,  they  have  been  unable  to 
obtain. 

This  influence  should  be  so  strong  as  to  be 
“catching.”  Rufus  M.  Jones  recently  presented  this 
thought  very  clearly  and  aply,  and  terms  it  a  form  of 
contagion.  “Christ’s  way  of  propagating  the  truth — 
the  way  that  inherently  fits  the  inner  life  and  spirit 
of  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom — was  the  way  of 
personal  Contagion.  He  counted  almost  wholly 
upon  the  spontaneous  and  dynamic  influence  of  life 
upon  life,  of  personality  upon  personality.  This 
would  produce  a  new  world,  a  new  social  order, 


9 


through  the  contagious  and  transmissive  character 
of  personal  goodness.  It  was  His  faith  that  if  you 
get  into  the  world  anywhere  a  seed  of  the  Kingdom, 
a  nucleus  of  persons  who  exhibit  the  blessed  life,  who 
are  dedicated  to  expanding  goodness,  who  rely  im¬ 
plicitly  upon  love  and  sympathy,  who  try  in  meek 
patience  the  slow  method  that  is  right ,  who  still  feel 
the  clasping  hand  of  love,  even  when  they  go  through 
pain  and  trial  and  loss,  this  seed  spirit  will  spread, 
this  nucleus  will  enlarge  and  create  a  society.  If  the 
new  spirit  of  passionate  love  and  of  uncalculating 
goodness  gets  formed  in  one  person,  by  a  silent 
alchemy,  a  group  of  persons  will  soon  become  perme¬ 
ated  and  charged  with  the  same  spirit.” 

This  spreading  of  such  “good  news,”  which 
means  the  full  “Gospel,”  unites  people  in  a  common 
bond  of  faith,  and  the  natural  tendency  is  for  them  to 
meet  and  discuss  the  subject  so  dear  to  them;  not  only 
that  they  may  strengthen  their  own  faith,  but  that 
they  may  unite  their  prayers  for  the  sick  and  troubled, 
and  endeavor  to  bring  the  truth  to  others  as  they  are 
led  by  the  Spirit. 

This  naturally  leads  to  the  formation  of  a  local 
Group  or  Guild  of  the  Society,  by  the  means  of  which 
the  work  is  maintained  and  extended.  So  many 
members  have  asked  for  instruction  with  regard  to 
Group  formation  that  this  little  book  has  been  found 
necessary. 

Associate  Directors 

The  logical  and  most  appropriate  method  of 
forming  a  group  is  through  the  appointment  of  a 
clergyman,  who  has  this  faith,  as  an  Associate 

10 


Director  of  the  Society.  He  gathers  a  few  of  his 
faithful  ones  and  introduces  the  work  and  so  a  group 
is  organized.  When  the  work  is  properly  introduced 
by  a  few  addresses  there  is  no  difficulty  at  all  in 
starting  a  group.  Clergymen  are  often  surprised  at 
the  amazing  interest  and  faith  exhibited  from  most 
unexpected  quarters,  as  soon  as  the  work  is  made 
known. 

A  group  under  the  leadership  of  a  minister  meets 
once  a  week  for  conference  and  for  united  interces¬ 
sions  for  the  sick  of  the  congregation  and  community. 
A  group  does  not  exist  long  before  it  uplifts  the 
spiritual  tone  of  the  entire  congregation.  Ministers 
will  succeed  in  forming  a  group  in  proportion  to 
their  faith  and  the  manner  in  which  they  present  the 
subject  to  their  congregations.  A  very  excellent  ap¬ 
proach  is  shown  in  the  following  letter  from  the 
rector  of  a  large  New  England  Church: 

Sensationalism  Discouraged 

“I  have  just  finished  reading  your  book  ‘Does 
Christ  Still  Heal?’  and  I  have  long  felt  that  what  you 
say  is  true. 

“Will  you  send  me  a  copy  of  ‘The  Revival  of  the 
Gift  of  Healing’  and  other  literature  which  you  can 
send  regarding  this  work  of  the  Society  or  prayers 
like  those  published  by  Allenson.  I  wish  to  make  a 
careful  study  of  the  subject.  I  shall  be  most  willing 
to  extend  such  ministry  to  any  of  whom  you  may  hear 
and  will  be  glad  to  have  you  refer  to  me  any  in  the 
vicinity  of  Augusta  who  desire  anointing.  I  truly 
believe  in  the  efficacy  of  prayer  for  the  sick,  just  as  I 


11 


believe  in  the  remission  of  sins  when  there  is  true 
penitence  and  confession,  but  I  do  not  believe  in  the 
pessimistic  prayers  with  which  we  are  provided,  so  I 
have  always  used  prayers  of  my  own  composition. 

“I  am  grateful  for  your  book  formulating  as  it 
does  the  ideas  that  have  long  been  in  my  mind  espe¬ 
cially  as  you  do  not  urge  it  as  a  healing  cult,  but  as  a 
part  of  the  full  faith  of  the  Church/7 

Several  weeks  later,  the  clergyman  wrote  that  he 
had  had  a  little  meeting  in  which  he  endeavored  to 
interest  about  twenty-five  people  in  the  revival  of  the 
ministry.  He  distinctly  stated  that  he  did  not  attempt 
to  get  out  a  large  number  but  on  the  other  hand, 
discouraged  people  from  coming  to  the  meeting 
out  of  mere  curiosity.  He  enclosed  a  copy  of  the 
notice  he  had  read  to  his  congregation  which  is  as 
follows : 

“The  Rector  has  a  little  book  which  has  to  do 
with  faith  in  prayer  which  he  wishes  to  read  to  such 
people  as  truly  believe  in  the  efficacy  of  prayer,  with 
a  view  to  forming  a  prayer  league  for  special  objects. 
The  book  will  be  read  to  such  as  come,  on  Wednes¬ 
day  evening  of  this  week,  and  in  order  to  know 
how  many  will  be  there,  it  will  be  necessary  for 
those  who  wish  to  come,  to  send  word  between  now 
and  Wednesday.  Please  do  not  come  out  of  mere 
curiosity,  unless  you  have  had  sufficient  faith  in  the 
past  to  plead  with  Almighty  God  day  after  day  for 
some  definite  object,  you  have  not  the  faith  that  is 
desired  for  this  prayer  league.77 

He  added  in  his  letter  that  he  felt  that  the  re¬ 
vival  of  this  ministry  in  the  Church  must  come 


12 


through  a  slow,  careful  growth,  which  is  far  more  to 
be  desired  than  any  sensational  movement.  It  has 
been  the  Director’s  experience  that  this  is  the  safest 
way  in  which  to  operate.  The  moment  people  take 
up  the  ministry  of  healing  as  a  fad,  they  will  be  in¬ 
clined  to  drop  it  in  a  few  months  after  its  novelty  has 
worn  off. 

Lay  Leadership 

Unfortunately  not  all  of  the  clergy  and  ministers 
are  interested  in  the  ministry  of  healing.  Some 
frankly  refuse  to  anoint  those  who  ask  it,  looking 
upon  it  as  a  Roman  custom,  and  others  are  still  bound 
by  the  theology  that  God  has  a  purpose  in  sending 
the  prolonging  sickness,  and  surrender  the  field  en¬ 
tirely  to  the  doctors  and  surgeons,  limiting  them¬ 
selves  with  the  funeral  where  the  former  have  failed. 
Many,  because  of  their  lack  of  faith,  coupled  with  no 
training  at  all  in  sick  room  visitation,  are  totally  un¬ 
familiar  with  methods  of  approach  in  this  field,  and 
consequently  are  incapacitated,  not  only  for  a  healing 
ministry,  but  for  leadership  in  this  work. 

There  have  been  many  instances  where  men  and 
women  became  members  of  the  Society  and  longed 
for  spiritual  leadership,  but  could  not  obtain  it 
because  of  lack  of  faith  on  the  part  of  their  minister. 
Not  a  few  have  written  that  when  they  brought  the 
subject  to  the  attention  of  their  rector,  he  frankly 
told  them  that  he  was  not  interested,  as  he  believed 
“the  age  of  miracles  had  ceased,”  or  that  it  was  “an 
imitation  of  Christian  Science.” 

In  many  such  cases  members  have  been  advised 
to  proceed  with  the  organization  of  a  guild  without 


13 


clerical  leadership  and  some  of  them  are  now  oper¬ 
ating  with  wonderful  results.  In  not  a  few  instances 
the  groups  are  comprised  entirely  of  women ,  and 
their  work  is  so  well  known  that  their  members  are 
asked  to  call  upon  the  sick,  not  only  in  their  own 
congregation,  but  in  their  community,  among  the 
unchurched,  and  upon  those  of  other  denominations. 
Some  of  the  Southern  Guilds  of  the  Society  have 
gained  this  fame  through  their  faith  in  their  effective 
practice  of  the  simple  methods  of  Jesus  in  their  sick 
visitations.  “And  the  fame  hereof  went  abroad  unto 
all  the  land.”  (St.  Matt.  9:26.) 

The  Size  of  a  Successful  Guild 
A  guild  may  be  started  by  two  persons.  When 
they  meet  regularly  and  pray  for  the  increase  their 
prayers  are  not  long  unanswered.  They  need  no 
greater  inspiration  for  organization  with  small  num¬ 
bers  than  the  words  of  the  Master.  “Where  two  or 
three  are  gathered  together  IN  MY  NAME,  there  am 
I  in  the  midst  of  them.”  (St.  Matt.  18:20.) 

When  a  group  is  organized  on  that  basis,  it  be¬ 
comes  a  successful  guild,  no  matter  what  may  be  its 
size  in  numbers.  With  Christ  as  a  member  it  is  well 
nigh  a  perfect  group,  with  every  element  of  power 
that  can  possibly  be  provided,  and  with  an  unfailing 
source  of  fresh  power  as  one  may  spend  himself  in 
ministering  or  giving.  The  appropriate  name  should 
be  “The  Guild  of  the  Nazarene.” 

Weekly  Meetings 

Such  groups  of  lay  persons,  whether  men  or 
women  or  both,  should  meet  once  a  week  if  possible, 


14 


but  not  less  than  once  every  two  weeks.  The  meeting 
should  be  conducted  along  the  lines  suggested  in  the 
next  chapter.  Even  with  two  persons  the  weekly 
meetings  will  be  found  more  profitable.  In  such 
groups  a  leader  may  volunteer  or  a  guild  may  elect  a 
leader  for  a  short  term. 

Seeking  Ministers  with  Faith 

In  all  such  lay  groups  there  should  always  be  an 
earnest  prayer  for  the  conversion  of  the  ministers  of 
the  community  to  the  ministry,  and  it  should  be  the 
duty  of  each  member  of  the  guild  to  give  to  his  or  her 
minister  portions  of  the  literature  of  the  Society  from 
time  to  time  with  the  request  that  they  be  read.  Later 
an  opinion  should  be  requested.  There  should  he  no 
urgent  pleadings  to  take  up  this  work.  It  would  also 
be  harmful,  if  not  fatal,  to  ask  a  clergyman  to  become 
a  leader  in  the  meetings  unless  he  earnestly  believed 
in  the  ministry,  was  ready  to  practice  it  at  all  times, 
and  desired  to  have  it  restored  to  the  Church.  Con¬ 
ventional  leadership  of  purely  professional  nature, 
even  if  considered  very  orthodox,  has  already 
wrought  sufficient  havoc  in  all  the  churches  and  has 
given  Christianity  its  bad  name  and  its  puerile,  unin¬ 
viting  character.  The  Society  of  the  Nazarene  is 
exerting  heroic  efforts  to  restore  to  the  Churches  that 
virile  element,  and  the  blessings  which  many  have 
lost  through  neglect  of  the  simple  teachings  and 
methods  of  Jesus.  Our  members  grieve  to  see  faith¬ 
less  clergy  in  the  Church  and  they  cannot  have  them 
in  the  Society,  without  serious  havoc  to  the  cause  of 
the  Master. 


15 


Some  clergymen  express  a  desire  to  exercise  the 
ministry  of  healing,  but  hesitate  to  have  any  prayer 
without  the  conditional  clause  (“If  it  be  God’s 
will”).  They  are  still  bound  by  the  theology  that  if 
a  person  fails,  it  is  an  expression  of  God’s  will.  Such 
a  ministry  will  always  be  defective,  as  it  inhibits 
faith,  and  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  unconditional 
method  of  Jesus  and  His  revelation  that  premature 
death  was  not  the  will  of  God.  In  such  cases 
ministers  should  be  given  the  books  of  the  Society. 
Many  ministers  who  at  first  disagreed  with  our  prin¬ 
ciples,  are  now  in  hearty  accord  and  are  valiant 
workers  in  the  Society.  The  revision  of  the  old 
theology,  not  only  among  ministers,  but  among  lay¬ 
men  and  women  as  well,  constitutes  the  most  im¬ 
portant,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  difficult  work 
of  the  Society.  “He  came  unto  His  own  and  His  own 
received  Him  not,”  is  as  true  today  as  it  was  when 
St.  John  wrote  it. 

Making  “Christians”  Christian 

Hundreds  of  men  and  women  longing  for  a  heal¬ 
ing  ministry  have  gone  into  Christian  Science  and 
New  Thought  societies,  simply  because  the  Church 
not  only  failed  to  provide  the  healing  work  of  Jesus, 
but  refused  to  revive  it  when  requested.  Nevertheless 
many  are  quick  to  return  when  they  find  the  Church 
awakening  to  her  duty.  One  lady  having  left  because 
of  a  deadening  experience  wrote:  “The  Society  of 
the  Nazarene  has  drawn  me  back  to  my  Church  for 
which  I  am  deeply  grateful.”  Many  others  have 
expressed  themselves  in  similar  manner. 


16 


In  will  be  a  glorious  day  when  the  churches 
realize  that,  for  centuries  ,they  have  been  presenting 
only  a  partial  Christianity;  and  still  more  glorious 
when  they  restore  to  their  people  the  full  Gospel  that 
Jesus  preached  and  practiced  and  intended  His 
disciples  to  continue  in  His  name,  by  virtue  of  the 
power  of  His  Name.  That  must  be  the  aim  of  every 
member  of  the  Society.  The  work  may  be  difficult 
but  divine  guidance  will  be  granted  and  patience  will 
be  rewarded.  When  Christians  are  truly  Christian 
the  world’s  great  problems  will  be  solved  and  the 
Master  will  come  unto  His  OWN.  The  disciples 
were  first  designated  as  a  Sect  of  Nazar enes  and 
despised  accordingly. 

A  Call  to  Action 

After  the  consideration  of  the  preceding  pages  one 
may  not  feel  that  any  further  word  is  needed  to 
stimulate  group  organizations.  Yet  it  is  only  right 
that  a  final  condition  which  bears  upon  the  subject 
should  be  presented.  It  is  a  most  important  element 
and  every  member  should  be  aware  of  its  existence. 

Not  only  by  letter,  but  in  personal  interview,  the 
Director  is  constantly  being  asked,  “Is  there  any 
branch  of  your  Society  in  my  city?”  “Is  there  any 
one  near  my  home  whom  I  could  visit  and  talk  to  on 
the  subject?”  “Are  there  going  to  be  any  meetings  in 
my  city  that  I  could  attend?”  “Have  you  any  mem¬ 
bers  in  my  city  who  would  pray  for  my  mother?” 
“Is  there  a  minister  in  my  city  or  any  member  who 
would  visit  my  friend?  She  believes  in  healing  but 
her  minister  thinks  her  sickness  is  part  of  God’s  will.” 


17 


When  the  Director  has  been  able  to  give  such 
inquirers  the  name  of  that  single  member  in  that 
community  it  has  meant,  in  many  cases,  a  source  of 
blessing  to  both  the  seeker  for  help,  and  the  one  who 
responded  with  the  aid  required.  But  where  a  guild 
was  found,  the  results  were  happier  in  many  ways. 

The  earnest  desire  for  further  personal  informa¬ 
tion  and  for  the  blessings  of  the  ministry  is  so  strong 
in  some  inquirers,  that  when  they  find  there  are  no 
members  of  the  Society  in  their  city,  they  do  not 
hesitate  to  make  a  journey  of  some  considerable 
distance  where  a  member  may  be  found  in  order  that 
they  may  come  into  personal  touch  with  those  who  do 
believe,  and  who  are  ready  to  demonstrate  their  belief 
to  all  who  seek  for  healing  from  Jesus,  and  for  relief 
from  their  troubles  through  the  power  of  His  name. 

The  Joyous  Results 

A  guild  will  not  be  in  existence  long  before  every 
member  will  be  strengthened  in  His  faith  and  many 
will  feel  the  power  of  the  Lord  operating  upon  them 
so  definitely  that  they  will  gladly  respond  to  those 
who  call  upon  them  for  prayer  and  for  laying  on  of 
hands.  That  such  appeals  as  those  given  above,  are 
constantly  coming  to  the  Director,  should  be  sufficient 
inspiration  to  every  member  to  begin  at  once  his 
earnest  endeavors  to  organize  a  group,  and  start 
weekly  meetings.  More  people  in  our  communities 
than  we  realize  are  longing,  yearning  for  the  blessed 
ministry,  which  they  are  not  receiving  from  their 
churches.  If  we  claim  to  believe  in  it,  if  we  claim  to 
have  had  experience  with  it,  we  cannot  remain  in- 


18 


active  without  neglecting  our  obligations  to  our 
Master. 

He  is  depending  upon  us  to  do  His  work,  to  say 
His  words  and  to  lay  hands  on  the  sick  in  His  name, 
and  to  be  the  humble  channels  of  the  bestowal  of  His 
blessings. 


19 


CHAPTER  II 


Plan  for  Group  Meeting 

PRAYER:  There  should  be  a  short  opening 
prayer  in  which  the  hour  is  dedicated  to  the  work 
in  hand.  If  extempore  prayer  be  not  used,  the 
collect  for  the  Sixth  Trinity  will  be  found  most 
appropriate.  This  should  be  followed  by  the  Lord’s 
Prayer  and  the  Prayer  for  the  Restoration  of  the 
Ministry  of  Healing.  (Prayer  Leaflet.)  In  the 
centre  of  this  prayer  remember  the  Director  and 
Associate  Directors. 

READING:  A  chapter  or  section  of  some  book, 
previously  decided  upon,  should  be  read,  followed  by 
discussion.  All  group  members  should  be  familiar 
with  “The  Revival  of  the  Gift  of  Healing”  and  the 
fundamental  principles  set  forth  in  “Does  Christ 
Still  Heal?”  Points  not  fully  understood  should  be 
freely  discussed  and  members  should  help  to  clear  up 
perplexities.  Following  these  books  members  may 
select  from  the  list  on  the  Supplementary  Reading 
Leaflet.  They  may  take  turns  in  purchasing  books 
on  the  list,  or  they  may  be  bought  by  the  leader  from 
a  book  fund  raised  by  members.  Thus  a  good  circu¬ 
lating  library  may  be  formed. 

Although  the  discussion  should  be  under  the 
direction  of  the  group  leader,  the  reading  need  not  be 
limited  to  the  leader.  Some  other  member  may  be 


20 


appointed  from  time  to  time  to  read  a  book  and  report 
upon  it,  giving  a  review  of  it.  The  reading  may  be 
varied  by  the  reading  of  one  of  the  many  detailed 
accounts  of  our  Lord’s  healing  acts.  Take  for  in¬ 
stance,  the  ninth  chapter  of  St.  John,  which  is  suffi¬ 
cient  to  provide  interesting  consideration  for  several 
meetings.  The  tenth  chapter  is  a  commentary  on  this 
and  should  be  included. 

ADDRESS :  If  the  leader  is  a  clergyman  or  one 
accustomed  to  public  speaking,  a  short  address  may 
be  given  at  this  point.  Where  such  is  not  the  case,  the 
time  may  be  taken  up  by  the  subject  of  the  day  in 
the  book  read.  The  address  should  be  brief  and 
should  be  upon  some  aspect  of  God’s  love  and  power 
and  the  method  of  appropriating  the  blessings  and 
bringing  them  to  others,  as  revealed  by  Jesus. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  group,  however,  the 
first  address  found  in  Part  II,  entitled  “The  Char¬ 
acter  of  the  Work,”  should  be  read  by  the  leader  and 
expanded  as  he  desires.  New  group  members  are 
always  asked  to  read  this  address  and  others  in  that 
section,  so  that  they  may  fully  comprehend  what  is 
expected  of  them. 

TESTIMONIALS :  A  short  period  may  here  be 
devoted  to  personal  experiences,  not  only  with  regard 
to  the  blessings  one  has  received,  personally,  but  con¬ 
cerning  the  recovery  of  others  for  whom  prayer  has 
been  offered.  This  exchange  will  be  found  most 
helpful.  It  is  a  beautiful  form  of  praising  God  on 
the  part  of  the  speaker  and  becomes  an  inspiration 
and  a  help  to  others.  To  both  speaker  and  listener 
it  is  a  great  stimulant  to  a  larger  faith  and  its  value 


21 


cannot  be  overestimated.  One  may  easily  be  reticent 
about  revealing  sacred  experiences  to  people  gener¬ 
ally,  but  among  group  members  it  should  not  be  so. 
Such  spiritual  intercourse  awakens  confidence  and 
deepens  the  bond  of  Divine  friendship  which  should 
exist.  It  further  creates  and  maintains  an  atmosphere 
of  spiritual  harmony  and  unity,  and  sets  up  the 
standard  by  which  all  things  and  all  persons  are 
measured.  Difference  in  so-called  “station  in  life,” 
in  “world  education”  and  amount  of  money  or 
material  possession,  disappear  under  these  condi¬ 
tions.  When  they  truly  exist,  no  wise  or  wealthy  ones 
can  show  condescension,  nor  will  timid  ones  have 
any  feelings  of  fear.  All  such  elements  disappear 
when  one  feels  he  is  in  union  with  God.  This  won¬ 
derful  union  Jesus  experienced  and  clearly  set  forth 
in  His  final  address  to  His  disciples. 

“At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  my 
Father,  and  ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you.” 

Much  time  may  be  spent  by  group  members  on 
the  thirteenth,  fourteenth,  fifteenth  and  sixteenth 
chapters  of  St.  John’s  Gospel,  the  contents  of  which 
they  will  never  be  able  to  exhaust. 

Occasionally  there  should  be  read  as  a  part  of  the 
opening  prayers,  the  seventeenth  chapter  of  St. 
John’s  Gospel. 

INTERCESSIONS:  The  intercessions,  which 
naturally  form  the  central  act  of  the  group  meeting, 
should  be  introduced  by  a  silence  of  a  few  minutes, 
during  which  every  one  will  endeavor : 

First, — To  place  himself  in  the  presence  of  God; 

and 


22 


Second, — To  cast  out  those  things  from  mind 
and  heart  which  are  not  in  harmony  with  the  Divine 
plan,  or  which  would  intercept  the  flow  of  the  Divine 
love  of  God  and  prevent  the  indwelling  of  the  Christ 
spirit. 

THANKSGIVING  for  God’s  many  blessings 
should  have  first  expression  after  the  silence.  Where 
improvement  or  recovery  has  been  reported  in  those 
being  prayed  for,  appropriate  thanksgiving  should 
be  offered  for  them.  In  this  connection  the  aspira¬ 
tion  should  be  that  “Thy  name  be  given  the  praise, 
and  Thee  the  glory.” 

Then  will  follow  the  “Prayer  for  Faith”  and  the 
“Prayer  for  Healing”  (in  which  the  names  of  the 
sick  of  the  community  and  those  on  the  list  may  be 
inserted).  After  the  reading  of  the  names  there 
should  be  a  short  pause  before  finishing  the  petition. 
In  offering  prayers  for  others,  either  in  group  meet¬ 
ings  or  alone,  one  should  not  dwell  upon  the  disease 
of  the  patient,  nor  his  trouble,  but  should  visualize  in 
silence,  as  clearly  as  possible,  the  great  fact  of  God's 
Perfect  Love,  Perfect  Health,  Joy  and  Abundance, 
and  connect  that  person  with  that  vision,  praying 
that  through  the  promises  and  power  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  that  particular  person  may  receive  the 
fullness  of  the  Divine  blessings. 

The  intercessions  are  closed  with  the  “Prayer  for 
the  Society  of  the  Nazarene,”  “For  the  Sacred  Name” 
and  the  Grace,  after  which  there  should  be  a  short 
period  of  silence,  bringing  the  meeting  to  a  close. 


23 


Intercessions  During  Communion 

In  Churches  where  the  minister  is  an  Associate 
Dirctor  the  intercessions  for  the  sick  may  be  placed 
in  the  Communion  Service  immediately  after  the 
Communion  of  the  people.  The  prayer  for  faith 
should  precede  the  prayer  for  healing  and  after  the 
intercessions  and  silence,  the  Communion  Service 
should  be  concluded  in  the  regular  way. 

Summary 

The  above  plan  of  a  Group  Meeting  may  seem  to 
be  very  much  involved  and  difficult  to  follow.  It  is 
only  so  because  of  the  explanation  given  to  each 
section.  As  soon  as  the  idea  of  the  plan  is  grasped, 
it  will  be  found  to  be  very  simple  and  will  lend  itself 
readily  to  slight  change  without  danger  of  digression. 
The  atmosphere  of  the  meeting  at  all  times  should  be 
kept  informal,  to  a  point  of  intimacy,  yet  a  leader 
and  a  plan  is  necessary  in  order  to  preserve  a  sense 
of  order;  for  order  means  harmony,  which  is  the 
only  basis  upon  which  God  works. 

“Order  is  Heaven’s  first  law.” 

The  greater  degree  of  harmony  we  can  establish 
and  maintain,  the  more  closely  we  are  united  with 
God,  and  the  more  clearly  we  are  enabled  to  discern 
and  perform  His  will. 

The  plan  of  the  meeting  is  therefore  repeated 
without  any  explanation.  Its  simplicity  will  be 
recognized  at  a  glance. 


24 


PLAN  OF  GROUP  MEETING 


1.  Extempore  Prayer  or  collect  from  Sixth  Trinity. 
Prayer  for  the  Restoration  of  the  Ministry  of 
Healing;  Lord’s  Prayer. 

2.  Reading  and  discussion. 

3.  Address.  (When  possible.) 

4.  Testimonials.  Questions  and  Answers. 

5.  Intercessions.  (All  kneeling.) 

Silence  and  Preparation. 

Thanksgivings. 

Prayer  for  Faith;  For  Healing  (using  names). 

Silence. 

Prayers  for  Strength  to  Serve;  The  Society  of  the 
Nazarene;  The  Director;  The  Nazarene  House; 

The  Sacred  Name;  The  Lord’s  Prayer;  Grace. 
Short  silence. 

Note. — The  prayers  mentioned  above  will  be 
found  also  in  the  Nazarene  Prayer  Leaflet.  They  are 
suggestive  and  may  be  changed  to  suit  the  occasion. 
Extempore  prayer  should  be  developed  by  all  leaders, 
but  should  be  used  only  by  those  who  are  able  to  use 
it  naturally  and  briefly. 

Occasionally  the  meeting  may  be  opened  by  the 
reading  of  the  poem,  “The  Power  of  Intercession,” 
and  close  after  the  Grace,  during  the  final  silence,  by 
“The  Breath  of  God.”  They  are  to  be  found  on  the 
following  pages. 


25 


THE  POWER  OF  INTERCESSION 


The  weary  ones  had  rest;  the  sick  had  joy  that  day, 
And  wondered  how ! 

The  plowman,  singing  at  his  work,  had  prayed : 
“God  help  them  now!” 

Alone  in  foreign  lands,  they  wondered  how 
Their  feeble  word  had  power; 

At  home  the  Christians,  two  or  three,  had  met 
To  pray  an  hour. 

So  we  are  always  wondering,  wondering  long, 
Because  we  do  not  see 
Someone,  unknown  perhaps,  and  far  away, 

On  bended  knee. 


26 


THE  BREATH  OF  GOD 


Breathe  on  us  Breath  of  God, 

Till  we  are  wholly  Thine, 

Till  all  this  earthly  part  of  us 
Glows  with  Thy  fire  divine. 

Breathe  on  us  Breath  of  God, 

Fill  us  with  life  anew; 

That  we  may  love  what  Thou  dost  love, 

And  do  what  Thou  would’st  do. 

Breathe  on  us  Breath  of  God, 

Until  our  hearts  are  pure; 

Until  with  Thee  we  will  one  will 
To  do  and  to  endure. 

Breathe  on  us  Breath  of  God, 

So  shall  we  never  die; 

But  live  with  Thee  the  perfect  life 
Of  Thine  eternity. 

Note. — The  above  will  also  be  found  most  ap¬ 
propriate  after  prayer  in  visiting  the  sick. 


27 


A  PRAYER  OF  PRAISE 


(After  Special  Thanksgiving) 

Oh,  let  me  know 
The  power  of  Thy  resurrection ; 

Oh,  let  me  show 

Thy  risen  life  in  calm  and  clear  reflection ; 

Oh,  let  me  soar 

Where  Thou,  my  Saviour  Christ  are  gone  before; 
In  mind  and  heart 

Let  me  dwell  always,  only,  where  Thou  are. 

Oh,  let  me  give 

Out  of  the  gifts,  Thou  freely  givest ; 

Oh,  let  me  live 

With  life  abundantly  because  Thou  livest; 

Oh,  make  me  shine 

In  darkest  places,  for  Thy  light  is  mine; 

Oh,  let  me  be 

A  faithful  witness  for  Thy  truth  and  Thee. 

Oh,  let  me  show 

The  strong  reality  of  gospel  story; 

Oh,  let  me  go 

From  strength  to  strength,  from  glory  unto  glory; 
Oh,  let  me  sing 

For  the  very  joy  because  Thou  art  my  King; 

Oh,  let  me  praise 

Thy  love  and  faithfulness  through  all  my  days. 

Frances  R.  Havergal. 


28 


CHAPTER  III 


The  Value  of  the  Silence 

Practical  Mysticism 
Lesson  I 

The  periods  of  silence  may  at  first  impress  mem¬ 
bers  as  unusual  and  useless.  To  some  they  may  seem 
artificial,  but  that  is  only  because  they  are  unac¬ 
quainted  with  their  value  and  the  character  of  the 
work  accomplished  during  this  period.  The  mind 
then  ceases  its  ordinary  activity.  The  petitions  have 
been  presented  for  ourselves  and  for  others,  and  we 
now  rest  in  His  presence,  with  senses  of  mind  and 
body  stilled  but  with  soul  alert,  listening  to  His  voice, 
recognizing  the  fullness  of  His  presence  around  us 
and  within  us,  sensitive  to  the  stream  of  love  and 
ready  to  respond  to  His  leading.  Last  of  all,  we  are 
surrendering  our  entire  being  to  Him  and  rejoicing, 
that  in  the  mingling  stream  of  love,  as  He  possesses, 
so  we  possess  Him. 

Our  Lord’s  Presence 

Our  Lord’s  presence  becomes  a  very  real  fact  to 
us,  as  soon  as  we  have  developed  this  faculty.  It  can 
be  obtained  only  by  practice  and  no  one  who  has 
really  persisted  in  this  search  has  ever  failed.  Every 
member  of  the  Society  should  have  a  period  of  silence 
daily  alone,  before  or  after  prayers.  One  should 
choose  a  time  when  one  is  least  likely  to  be  disturbed. 


29 


It  may  be  accomplished  either  kneeling,  sitting  or 
lying  down,  but  eyes  should  be  closed  and  the  body 
be  allowed  to  sink  into  perfect  relaxation.  It  is  purely 
a  spiritual  exercise  and  as  one  progresses,  the 
spiritual  faculty  of  hearing  God’s  voice  is  developed 
to  a  degree  which  opens  a  communication  not  before 
anticipated.  It  is  the  “listening  time”  and  it  is  only 
then  that  we  can  hear  what  God  would  say  to  us.  It 
also  trains  us  to  a  point  of  spiritual  skill  that  enables 
us  to  place  ourselves  in  His  Presence  at  will,  even  in 
the  face  of  disturbing  surroundings.  This  becomes 
a  valuable  acquisition,  inasmuch  as  we  are  thus 
enabled  to  tap  the  source  of  supply  when  we  may 
perhaps  be  most  in  need  of  it.  It  is  just  as  if  we  were 
able,  in  a  serious  crisis,  to  reach  out  our  hand  for  a 
friend  and  find  him  there. 

People  frequently  complain  that  they  pray  very 
earnestly  but  cannot  seem  to  get  any  answer.  Much 
of  the  fault  lies  in  the  fact  that  they  take  up  all  of 
their  prayer-time  asking  God  for  things  and  giving 
Him  no  opportunity  to  say  anything  to  them.  The 
time  is  so  fully  occupied  by  themselves  that  it  is  very 
like  a  one-sided  conversation.  They  are  intent  upon 
presenting  their  side  only.  The  listening  faculty  is 
so  little  used,  so  undeveloped,  that  they  fail  to  detect 
God’s  voice  and  they  lose  what  He  would  reveal  to 
them,  and  what  would  often  prove  to  be  a  message 
leading  to  the  answer  to  their  petition. 

“God  is  seen  and  felt.  He  becomes  as 
sure  as  the  sky  above  us  or  our  own  pulse  beat 
within  us.  We  spoil  our  vision  with  selfish- 


30 


ness,  we  cloud  it  with  prejudices,  we  blur  it 
with  impure  aims.  It  is  not  better  spectacles 
we  need.  It  is  a  pure,  clean,  sincere,  loving, 
forgiving,  passionately  devoted  heart.  God 
who  is  love  can  be  seen,  can  be  found  (and 
I  add,  can  be  heard)  only  by  a  heart  that 
intensely  loves  and  that  hates  everything  that 
hinders  love.” 

As  members  become  skilled  in  the  practice  of  the 
silence  at  home ,  they  will  fall  naturally  and  easily 
into  the  periods  of  silence  in  their  group  meetings. 
We  shall  progress  rapidly  in  our  development  if  we 
keep  clearly  in  mind  the  fact  that  silence  does  not 
represent  idleness,  or  waste  of  time,  but  opens  the 
path  to  communion  with  God.  All  sense  of  arti¬ 
ficiality  or  strangeness  will  cease  for  we  recognize  it 
as  a  period  of  deepest  intimacy  with  the  Spirit  of 
God.  It  provides  the  moments  when  we  are  more 
keenly  alive  to  the  richness  of  His  love.  The  truly 
Beloved  is  never  artificial  or  strange.  Thus  the 
period  of  silence  will  be  found  to  be  a  very  valuable 
preparation  for  the  meeting  and  the  crowning  joy  of 
its  close. 

The  Golden  Speech 

Be  still ;  the  Crown  of  life  is  silentness. 

Give  thou  a  quiet  hour  to  each  long  day. 

Too  much  of  time  we  spend  in  profitless 
And  foolish  talk.  Too  little  do  we  say. 


31 


If  thou  would’st  gather  words  that  shall  avail, 
Learning  a  wisdom  worthy  to  express, 
Leave  for  a  while  thy  chat  and  empty  tale: 
Study  the  golden  speech  of  silentness. 

The  Living  Word  in  silence  often  speaks. 

We  hear  not,  and  for  God’s  voice  oft  repine. 
No  answer  is  withheld  from  him  who  seeks, 

In  silence,  for  the  voice  of  Love  Divine. 


52 


Listening  for  His  Voice 

Practical  Mysticism 
Lesson  II 

Great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  strain  after  this 
effect,  i.e.,  to  catch  words  or  to  demand  a  special 
answer  to  a  troublesome  problem.  The  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  is  not  taken  by  violence.  The  mind  must  be 
passive — the  message  is  to  the  soul.  If  this  is  not 
realized  at  the  start  one  will  very  likely  fall  into  the 
habit  of  talking  to  one’s  self.  Subsconsciously,  the 
attempt  will  be  made  to  hear  the  answer  the  mind 
would  like  to  hear. 

Even  if  it  is  not  stressed  to  this  point,  the  mind,  if 
exercised  too  freely,  will  supply  platitudes,  or  those 
answers  which  would  seem  to  fit  the  case  in  a  con¬ 
ventional  way.  Habit,  tradition,  bias,  all  play  a  part 
in  this;  and  oft-times  an  erroneous  theology  fur¬ 
nishes  a  smug  and  pious  phrase,  which  really  is  far 
from  the  Spirit’s  utterance  or  leading  when  compared 
with  the  teachings  of  Jesus.  Results  of  this  character 
are  common  among  those  who  practice  automatic 
writing  and  claim  to  be  receiving  messages  from 
departed  spirits.*  The  messages  are  usually  trite 
and  conventional  and  are  just  about  what  the  writer 
would  assume  that  the  relation  or  friend  would  say. 
Many  such  do  not  bear  any  of  the  characteristics  of 
a  spiritual  revelation. 

*For  thorough  treatment  of  this  subject  see  our  Founder’s 
book:  “Ghosts  or  Gospels?”  Nazarene  Press.  $1.25. 

33 


Often  in  our  listening  time,  no  answer  or  articu¬ 
late  word  is  detected.  This  is  frequently  the  case 
with  beginners  and  it  should  not  be  taken  as  an 
indication  that  no  communion  has  been  established, 
or  that  the  time  has  been  a  wasted  blank. 

Remember  the  communion  is  between  the  soul  of 
man  and  the  Spirit  of  God.  They  comprise  the 
hidden  points  where  contact  is  made.  The  soul  is 
conscious  of  this  union  and  reflects  its  consciousness 
to  the  mind  and  body. 

The  soul  may,  however,  receive  a  message  and  a 
guidance  which  is  not  immediately  transmitted  to  the 
mind.  It  possesses  it,  nevertheless,  and  as  the  need 
arises  the  message  is  unfolded  and  the  proper 
guidance  is  given. 

Sometimes  the  mind  is  so  active  on  some  pressing 
problem  that  it  fails  to  recognize  a  message  to  the 
soul  on  quite  a  different  matter,  but  which  really  is 
of  greater  importance.  God  knows  our  greatest  needs 
and  when  the  soul  reaches  out  to  Him  for  guidance, 
that  greater  need  is  ministered  to,  irrespective  of  our 
valuation.  That  is  the  great  truth  we  should  con¬ 
stantly  keep  before  us  in  our  periods  of  silence. 

“Your  Father  knoweth  what  things  ye  have  need 
of,  before  ye  ask  Him.” 

That  is  why  it  is  so  necessary  to  restrain  the 
activities  of  the  mind  and  allow  it  to  become  thor¬ 
oughly  passive  in  the  listening  time.  This  does  not 
offer  any  encouragement  to  listlessness,  or  a  pious 
passivity  at  other  times.  On  the  contrary,  the  mind 
is  to  be  given  its  full  place  and  highest  development, 
and  the  Spirit  will  enlarge  it  in  wisdom  and  direct  it 
in  judgment. 


34 


Even  with  those  who  are  highly  developed  in 
using  the  silence,  there  is  often  no  human  word  or 
message  registered  on  the  mind.  They  do  not  take  it 
as  any  failure  on  their  part  or  any  evidence  of  with¬ 
drawal  or  silence  on  the  part  of  God.  They  are 
conscious  that  a  communion  has  been  consummated, 
spiritually,  and  that  the  spirit  has  been  strengthened 
and  will  communicate  this  strength  and  illumination 
as  it  is  needed. 

One  should  bear  in  mind  that  one  is  not  always 
seeking  solutions  of  problems  from  a  beloved  friend. 
There  are  many,  many  times  when  we  seek  him  just 
for  pure  enjoyment,  for  exchange  of  glances,  for  a 
walk  in  silence,  perhaps,  or  for  just  the  pleasure  that 
comes  from  a  conscious  nearness  of  his  presence,  and 
when  we  go  we  say,  “It  has  done  me  good  just  to  be 
with  you,  to  feel  your  strength,  your  loyalty,  your 
steadiness.” 

When  our  spirit  seeks  the  Spirit  of  God  it  effects 
a  meeting  with  Him,  who  is  Perfect  Love,  Perfect 
Strength,  Perfect  Loyalty;  and  surely  to  Him  we 
should  go,  not  only  when  difficulties  beset  us,  for 
answer  to  our  problems,  but  at  other  times  for  the 
very  joy  of  going  and  for  the  reflected  strength  and 
happiness  that  brief  and  silent  meeting  produces. 

“Men  wrongly  divide  love  into  two  types,”  says 
Dr.  Jones,  “human  love  and  divine  love,  but  in 
reality  there  is  only  love  ”  There  is  such  a  thing  as 
the  affection  of  the  soul.  It  transcends  in  warmth 
and  tenderness  the  most  intimate  of  earthly  loves  and 
it  is  infinitely  more  glowing  and  enduring,  for  it  com¬ 
bines  in  its  nature  the  masculine  and  feminine 


35 


qualities.  The  soul  seeks  the  Beloved  and  at  the 
same  time  surrenders.  Only  when  such  a  bond  is 
formed  are  we  able  to  comprehend  our  Lord’s  words : 
“I  and  my  Father  are  one.”  “Ye  in  Me  and  I  in  you.” 

As  one  develops  in  the  spiritual  exercise,  the 
mystic  beauty  of  these  trysts  is  unfolded  and  the  true 
relationship  is  revealed.  The  soul  does  not  seek 
the  Beloved  crying,  “Why?”  “When?”  “How?” 
Those  are  the  impetuous  demands  of  childhood,  the 
undeveloped.  The  soul  seeks  for  union  and  with 
that  desire  granted,  it  rests;  knowing  that  all  needs 
will  be  supplied  from  the  fountain  of  Love. 

“Thou  art  the  Life  within  me, 

O  Christ,  Thou  King  of  Kings ; 

Thou  art  Thyself  the  answer 
To  all  my  questionings.” 

There  are  times,  however,  during  that  com¬ 
munion  when  the  voice  of  Love  speaks  so  clearly  and 
unmistakably  that  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  its 
source.  It  may  be  a  totally  different  message  than 
the  one  naturally  expected,  and  it  may  be  upon  a 
subject  not  considered  important,  but  now  revealed 
as  vital.  Perhaps  the  message  is  to  take  the  hardest 
way.  True  friends  of  the  Beloved  are  quick  to  dis¬ 
cern  the  truth  and  are  prompt  to  follow.  The  true 
message  always  carries  with  it  the  inner  conviction 
that  it  is  right.  This  is  so  strong  that  indecision  and 
uncertainty  is  banished.  Those  who  continually 
waver  are  far  from  possessing  the  true  message. 
God  does  not  speak  in  uncertain  terms  nor  does  He 
fluctuate.  Those  possessing  the  true  vision  do  not 


36 


find  themselves  tossed  about  like  a  wave  of  the  sea. 
(St.  James  1 : 5,6.) 

Whenever  the  message  or  direction  seems  con¬ 
trary  to  our  expectations  we  can  always  assure  our¬ 
selves  of  its  validity  by  comparing  it  with  the  teach¬ 
ings  and  methods  of  Jesus.  No  matter  how  hard  it 
is  we  should  follow  it,  save  only  when  we  find  it 
contrary  to  His  words. 

It  may  be  we  are  called  upon  to  utter  a  rebuke 
with  a  great  purpose  behind  it,  leading  to  the  recog¬ 
nition  of  the  true  faith  on  the  part  of  the  seeker;  it 
may  be  an  unpleasant  task  we  are  bidden  to  perform 
that  will  create  animosity  against  us;  it  may  be  a 
great  refusal. 

Measure  the  message  with  the  teachings  of  Jesus 

and  if  they  agree  go  forth  with  Him  on  the  road  to 

victorv ! 

«/ 

“I  have  many  things  to  say  and  to  judge  of  you; 
but  He  that  sent  Me  is  true;  and  I  speak  to  the 
world  those  things  which  I  have  heard  of  Him.” 

Jesus  heard  those  things  from  the  Father  in  the 
silences  and  in  like  manner  we,  too,  may  hear  the 
voice  and  know  His  word  and  way  for  us. 


THE  PRAYER  OF  FAITH 

God  is  my  help  in  every  need ; 

God  does  my  every  hunger  feed. 

God  walks  beside  me,  guides  my  way 
Through  every  moment  of  the  day. 


37 


I  now  am  wise,  I  now  am  true, 

Patient,  kind  and  loving,  too. 

All  things  I  am,  can  do  and  be, 

Through  Christ,  the  Truth,  that  is  in  me. 

God  is  my  health,  heals  me  when  ill; 

God  is  my  strength,  and  girds  my  will; 
God  is  my  All,  I  know  no  fear, 

Since  God  and  Love  and  Tuth  are  here. 


The  Soul  in  Action 


Practical  Mysticism 
Lesson  III 

Our  relations  with  God  are  not  always  on  the 
surface.  Some  attempt  the  inner  union  with  Him 
and  because  they  do  not  succeed  at  once,  in  a  con¬ 
scious  way,  are  discouraged  and  discontinue  the 
effort.  To  encourage  those  to  whom  the  way  is  not 
clear,  I  shall  try  to  make  the  mode  of  this  relation¬ 
ship  plainer,  although  one  must  realize  it  cannot  be 
perfectly  revealed  in  human  words.  “The  natural 
man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God :  for 
they  are  foolishness  unto  him;  neither  can  he  know 
them  for  they  are  spiritually  discerned.” 

We  know  full  well  the  delicate  mechanism  of  the 
mind  and  how  subtle  and  intangible  are  the  in¬ 
fluences  which  impress  us,  solely  in  a  sub-conscious 
way.  Yet  such  influences  are  very  real  and  as  years 
go  on  we  find  the  impressions  received  in  this  way  are 
permanent  and  ineffaceable.  The  inner  mind  has 
registered  the  message  though  the  conscious  mind  did 
not  realize  it  at  the  time.  Later,  it  gives  its  message 
of  guidance  for  good  or  ill  to  the  conscious  mind. 

If  we  recognize  this  delicacy  in  the  two-fold  oper¬ 
ation  of  the  mind,  how  infinitely  more  delicate  is 
the  operation  of  the  soul,  that  invisible  Divine  life 
within  us,  which  comes  in  direct  contact  with  the 
Divine  Life  of  God.  It  is  but  natural  to  believe  that 


39 


such  messages  as  it  receives,  it  communicates  to  that 
mind  nearest, — the  inner  or  sub-conscious  mind. 
And  the  sub-conscious  mind  in  turn  transmits  the 
message  to  the  outer  or  conscious  mind.  Thus  we 
may  say  the  sub-conscious  mind  is  the  medium  of 
communication  between  the  soul  of  man  and  the 
material  or  conscious  mind  of  man. 

Some  have  declared  the  sub-conscious  is  the 
soul,  but  this  statement  is  not  well  supported.  It  is 
with  the  sub-conscious  that  we  dream,  and  the  soul  of 
man  could  not  be  guilty  of  many  foolish  and  even 
evil  deeds  that  are  executed  in  dreams.  The  sub¬ 
conscious  may  also  receive  messages  from  the  con¬ 
scious  mind  and  retain  them  and  these  messages  may 
be  for  good  or  evil.  The  conscious  mind  may  train 
the  body  through  the  medium  of  the  sub-conscious, 
so  that  the  body  will  operate  apparently  in  a  mechan¬ 
ical  manner.  It  is  the  sub-conscious,  however,  which 
is  supplying  the  control.  The  conscious  mind  may 
also  transmit  certain  habits  to  the  sub-conscious 
mind,  and  these  may  be  so  firmly  held  by  that  instru¬ 
ment,  that  they  become  the  hardest  habits  to  break, 
even  though  the  conscious  mind  may  earnestly  desire 
to  be  rid  of  them. 

We  must  therefore  consider  that  the  sub-conscious 
mind  does  not  partake  of  the  character  of  the  soul, 
but  is  that  inner  mental  mechanism  that  is  always 
alert,  no  matter  whether  the  conscious  mind  is  busy 
or  at  rest.  Its  relation  to  the  soul  is  that  of  hand¬ 
maiden,  for  as  the  soul  of  man  discerns  the  truth  of  a 
matter,  the  sub-conscious  reveals  it  at  times  when  the 
conscious  mind  with  all  its  reason,  logic  and  experi- 


40 


ence,  is  unable  to  see  it,  or  is  thoroughly  perplexed. 
Some  call  this  intuition.  In  reality  it  is  the  message 
of  the  soul. 

This  ability  to  discern  the  truth,  instinctively,  in¬ 
creases  as  one  develops  the  inner  vision.  It  is  noth¬ 
ing  more  than  permitting  the  soul  to  function  for  the 
benefit  and  protection,  and  guidance  of  the  whole 
man.  As  we  realize  this  particular  function,  we  will 
allot  to  the  sub-conscious  mind  its  proper  sphere  and 
acknowledge  its  lofty  purpose  and  set  aside  periods 
when  it  may  be  permitted  development  and  exercise. 

After  proper  development  and  practice,  the 
process  of  transmission  of  a  message  from  the  soul 
to  the  conscious  mind  may  become  so  rapid  as  to 
appear  like  direct  communication  without  use  of  the 
sub-conscious.  The  latter  is  utilized,  however,  as 
is  the  wire  or  ether  through  which  the  message 
comes,  almost  instantaneously.  The  rapidity  is 
due  to  the  harmony  that  has  been  established  in 
the  whole  man.  It  was  in  God’s  original  plan  that 
we  should  exercise  our  soul  as  well  as  our  body  in 
this  material  world.  That  was  the  great  secret  of 
the  insight  (in-seeing)  and  prophecy  of  Jesus.  His 
soul  was  always  operating  in  perfect  harmony  with 
His  body.  He  was  always  able  to  detect  spiritual 
values  and  could  always  see  the  Truth.  The  develop¬ 
ment  He  achieved  He  promised  to  His  followers  with 
certain  conditions. 

“If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my 
disciples  indeed  and  ye  shall  know  the  Truth,  and 
the  Truth  shall  make  you  free.” 


41 


The  only  organ  by  which  Truth  may  be  discerned 
is  the  soul  which  is  in  contact  with  God,  who  is 
Perfect  Truth.  It  is  the  only  path  by  which  man  may 
find  the  way  to  freedom. 

One  should  not  feel  that  it  is  necessary  to  ex¬ 
perience  any  strange  or  mysterious  sensation.  Rather 
it  should  be  approached  in  a  normal,  natural  way. 
Along  such  lines  it  is  likely  to  grow  to  highest  planes, 
and  may  provide  at  times  inner  revelations  of  deepest 
joy.  It  should  not  be  exhausting  or  savor  of  un¬ 
reality,  but  should  be  refreshing  and  strengthening. 
That  is  the  aim  of  Love. 

Love  is  ever  seeking  union  with  love.  So  God  is 
always  seeking  to  unfold  Himself  to  the  soul,  and  the 
soul  is  ever  eager  to  transmit  the  message  to  the  mind 
of  man.  Man  must  learn  to  turn  from  the  dis¬ 
tractions  of  the  outer  world  for  a  short  space,  that  he 
may  listen  to  what  the  sub-conscious  mind  would 
transmit  to  him  as  a  message  from  the  soul,  and  to 
place  his  conscious  mind  in  a  receptive  state  so  that 
the  message  may  be  registered  upon  it.  When  he  has 
learned  to  do  this,  he  will  hear  in  unmistakable  terms 
the  words  of  God.  Not  until  we  establish  such  com¬ 
munication,  can  we  hear  them.  This  is  what  Jesus 
meant  when  He  said  to  the  wise  and  learned  leaders 
of  the  temple  who  were  supposed  to  be  God’s  mouth¬ 
pieces  to  the  world: 

“He  that  is  of  God,  heareth  God’s  words.  Ye 
hear  them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  God.” 


42 


CHAPTER  IV 


Intercessions  and  Visitations 

Persons  should  not  be  prayed  for  at  Group  Meet¬ 
ings  whose  names  are  simply  handed  in  indiscrimi¬ 
nately  by  some  friend  or  relation.  It  should  first  be 
ascertained  if  the  patient  is  aware  that  prayers  are  to 
be  offered  for  him.  It  were  better  that  he  himself 
desired  them.  He  should  be  notified  and  instructed 
in  the  character  of  the  prayers  being  offered  for  him 
and  should  be  helped  to  a  stronger  faith  by  using 
himself  the  “Prayer  for  Faith,”  daily,  or  having  it 
read  to  him.  He  should  also  know  the  hour  when  a 
Group  is  praying  for  him.  In  many  ways  Jesus 
brought  out  and  strengthened  the  faith  of  persons 
before  they  could  receive  the  healing  power.  If  a 
patient  does  not  believe  or  does  not  care,  prayers  may 
be  offered  for  the  awakening  of  his  faith.  Hearts  of 
unbelievers  in  sick  beds  have  often  been  turned  to 
God  as  a  result  of  such  prayers  on  the  part  of  a 
loving  band.  In  such  cases  the  healing  of  the  soul 
is  far  more  important  than  the  healing  of  the  body 
and  takes  first  place.  The  method  of  Jesus  shows 
this. 

Exception  is  made,  of  course,  in  the  case  of 
children,  or  of  persons  unconscious  or  of  unsound 
mind.  Then  it  is  the  faith  of  the  person  making  the 
request  that  is  to  be  considered  and  acted  upon. 


43 


The  Purpose  in  the  Rebukes  of  Jesus 

In  this  connection  we  should  always  bear  in  mind 
how  Jesus  demanded  and  brought  out  great  faith  on 
the  part  of  mothers  and  fathers.  Their  earnest  plea 
to  Him  to  heal  their  children  was  not  sufficient.  Note 
that  in  several  instances  He  rebuked  parents  who 
came  to  Him. 

No  one  can  question  the  tender  compassion  of 
Jesus,  yet  he  said  to  the  man  who  was  seeking  help 
for  his  dying  son:  “ Except  ye  see  signs  and  wonders, 
ye  will  not  believe.”  The  rebuke  of  the  Canaanite 
woman  was  perhaps  even  more  severe :  “It  is  not  meet 
to  take  the  children’s  bread  and  give  it  to  dogs.” 
How  keen  and  searching  were  the  words  to  the  father 
of  the  demoniac  boy:  “O  faithless  and  perverse  gen¬ 
eration!  How  long  shall  I  suffer  you?”  And  this 
was  during  a  scene  where  the  apostles  themselves 
were  trying  to  heal  by  Divine  power  and  were  failing. 

We  cannot  comprehend  these  rebukes  until  we 
recognize  that  Jesus  had  a  purpose  in  uttering  them 
— a  purpose  in  meeting  a  very  heartfelt  appeal  with 
a  rebuff.  Something  more  was  needed  than  a  parental 
desire  to  have  a  child’s  health  restored,  its  life  spared. 
Mothers  and  fathers  then,  as  now,  were  willing  to 
pay  any  price,  were  willing  to  try  any  doctor,  seek  out 
any  healer. 

That  something  more,  the  something  higher,  that 
Jesus  required,  which  transcended  even  their  ap¬ 
proach  to  Him  as  a  healer,  is  the  desire  to  seek  a 
blessing  from  the  hand  of  God,  and  to  possess  the 
faith  that  God  can  and  will  bestow  it  by  virtue  of 
His  Divine,  All  Powerful  Nature. 

44 


Primarily ,  it  is  a  personal  relationship  with  God 
that  must  he  established.  This  relationship  must  not 
be  dependent  upon  signs  and  wonders  as  evidence  of 
His  attitude  toward  us.  It  must  rest  upon  a  recogni¬ 
tion  of  His  true  nature;  and  with  that  recognition 
will  come  the  voluntary  surrender  of  our  hearts  to 
Him. 

The  moment  a  person  recognizes  God  as  Perfect 
Love,  he  cannot  question  God’s  desire  to  express 
Himself  in  terms  of  love,  nor  conceive  that  such  ex¬ 
pression  can  in  any  way  be  limited  or  partial. 

The  only  limitation  on  God’s  abundant  blessings 
is  placed  there  by  the  weak  faith  and  doubts  of  man, 
the  timid  seeker. 

Thus  we  have  the  reason  why  many  suppliants 
for  health  for  themselves  or  others  fail  to  receive 
help.  They  will  go  to  a  healer  for  prayers,  and  then 
fail  to  establish  the  one  relationship  necessary  for  the 
fulfillment  of  their  desire.  Jesus  detected  this 
failure  even  though  they  came  to  Him  as  a  Divine 
healer. 

That  is  the  great  truth  Jesus  revealed  in  those 
rebukes.  Otherwise  they  are  heartless  and  incom¬ 
prehensible.  With  proper  understanding,  we  see  that 
these  words  and  actions  do  not  turn  the  seeker  back, 
but  really  open  the  way  to  God,  and  show  clearly 
what  is  required  of  us  before  we  can  receive  those 
blessings  and  gifts  we  desire. 

Suggestions  in  Making  Galls 

A  leader  of  a  Group  when  asked  to  call  upon  a 
patient,  will  often  find  it  helpful  to  notify  other  mem- 


45 


bers  of  the  Group  to  pray  at  the  time  he  makes  the 
call.  Sometimes  it  may  be  found  helpful  to  be  ac¬ 
companied  in  such  calls  by  another  member  of  the 
Group.  It  was  one  of  the  methods  of  Jesus  to  send 
His  disciples  out  on  healing  and  preaching  missions, 
two  by  two. 

Instructions  for  anointing  and  laying  on  of  hands 
are  reproduced  in  a  final  chapter  of  this  book.*  What 
is  given  there,  however,  is  to  be  regarded  more  as  a 
guide  than  a  rigid  formula  from  which  no  deviation 
may  be  made. 

Variety  in  Healing  Methods 

The  principle  should  always  be  kept  in  mind  that 
Jesus  did  not  confine  Himself  to  any  one  form  of 
healing.  In  making  a  call,  therefore,  the  leader 
should  always  pray  earnestly  for  guidance  as  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  ministry  is  to  be  exercised.  If 
he  is  spiritually  alert,  he  will  be  able  to  discern 
readily  the  special  need  of  the  patient.  Sometimes  a 
conscience  must  be  unburdened  before  relief,  either 
mental  or  physical,  can  be  obtained,  and  this  must  be 
handled  with  tenderness  and  love. 

Illness  or  nervous  conditions  of  long  standing 
may  be  the  result  of  misdoing  or  disobedience  of 
God’s  natural  laws,  and  oft  times  no  physical  relief  is 
found  until  a  mental  and  spiritual  relief  has  been 
obtained.  Whenever  this  is  the  case,  and  it  happens 
at  times  in  most  unexpected  quarters,  there  will  be  no 
difficulty  in  having  the  patient  relieve  his  mind  as 
soon  as  the  real  character  of  the  visit  is  revealed  to 


*See  also  preface  to  this  edition. 


46 


him,  and  this  should  always  be  done  save  where  the 
minister,  leader  or  visitor  is  intimately  acquainted 
with  the  patient,  and  has  previously  had  his  full 
confidence. 

Preparation  for  the  Blessing 

The  character  of  the  visit,  therefore,  should  be  ex¬ 
plained  to  him  as  not  consisting  merely  of  a  friendly 
call  and  a  prayer;  but  as  a  definite  appeal  to  Jesus 
to  be  present  and  to  grant  the  use  of  His  Name,  His 
power  with  the  Father,  for  the  healing  of  His  child. 
When  it  is  shown  that  in  order  to  ask  this  of  Him,  we 
ought  to  cast  out  from  our  hearts  and  minds  those 
things  which  might  have  been  or  still  are  displeasing 
to  Him,  there  will  invariably  be  a  prompt  response 
on  the  part  of  the  patient,  who  cannot  fail  to  see  the 
simple  reasonableness  of  this  condition  required. 
Oft-times  it  results  in  a  perfect  unburdening  of  the 
mind,  which  has  long  been  stubbornly  resisted,  and 
produces  the  transformation  of  a  soul,  and  marks  the 
immediate  beginning  of  a  rapid  return  to  perfect 
health  and  peace.  Where  a  response  is  not  imme¬ 
diate,  the  instruction  is  so  appealing  in  its  truth  that 
it  often  brings  the  desired  compliance  with  the  con¬ 
dition  at  a  second  visit. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  in  such  instances  a 
leader  should  be  alone  with  the  patient,  and  where 
that  leader  is  a  minister,  the  granting  of  absolution 
and  the  assurance  of  God’s  full  pardon  constitutes 
a  double  portion  of  comfort  and  refreshment  to  the 
soul. 


47 


The  Value  of  Mind  Relief 

Those  who  ask  for  healing  treatment  in  many  of 
the  new  cults  do  not  hesitate  to  disclose  their  faults 
and  many  evil  thoughts.  I  believe  this  form  of  con¬ 
fession  to  a  trusted,  sympathetic  person  to  be  one  of 
the  secrets  of  many  cures.  The  therapeutic  value  of 
a  quiet,  peaceful  mind,  relieved  of  burdens,  is  too 
thoroughly  recognized  to  require  special  exposition. 

I  do  not  know  of  a  single  instance  when  the  con¬ 
fession  of  a  patient  has  proved  harmful  in  the  least 
degree.  On  the  contrary,  in  the  vast  majority  of 
cases,  it  has  proved  very  beneficial,  physically  and 
mentally,  recovery  seeming  to  start  from  this  point. 
The  prejudice  that  has  arisen  against  sacramental 
confession,  while  one  is  in  good  health,  and  the 
lethargy  of  so  many  churches  on  the  subject,  is  piti¬ 
ful,  when  we  consider  the  question  from  the  point  of 
view  of  therapeutics  alone.  The  fact  that  some  per¬ 
son  may  treat  this  carelessly,  or  give  it  the  character 
of  a  conventional  religious  habit,  does  not  warrant  us 
in  discarding  it.  Laymen  and  women  healers  use  this 
element  of  confession  of  sin  and  evil  with  excellent 
results,  while  the  Church,  in  many  places,  permits 
the  sacred  gift  to  lie  dormant — the  gift  committed  to 
her  by  Her  Lord  as  one  of  the  greatest  revelations  of 
God’s  love  for  man,  provided  for  his  physical  as  well 
as  his  spiritual  health  and  happiness. 

Even  where  no  mortal  sin  exists,  it  is  well  to  keep 
this  point  in  mind  in  all  healing  visits,  and  to  suggest 
to  patients  the  fact  that  as  they  are  calling  upon  Jesus 
for  His  help,  and  asking  Him  to  come  to  them  with 
His  Purity,  Power  and  Love,  they  should  cast  out 


48 


from  their  hearts  all  thoughts  that  would  obstruct 
His  entrance;  all  memories  which  would  mar  His 
dwelling  place  in  the  heart. 

The  Reality  of  the  Power 

In  like  manner,  every  patient  should  be  reminded 
of  the  character  of  the  service,  as  demonstrating  the 
reality  of  the  power  that  is  to  be  drawn  upon.  Often 
a  patient  must  have  doubts  and  fears  dispelled  and  a 
real  faith  awakened,  before  a  prayer  for  healing  will 
be  of  avail.  Many  Christians  of  long  standing  will 
still  be  found  who  cling  to  the  idea  of  the  conditional 
form  of  praying  for  health:  “If  it  be  God’s  will.” 
As  He  is  perfect  Love,  He  could  have  no  other  char¬ 
acter  than  to  desire  the  health  of  those  who  truly 
believe  in  Him.  To  know  Him  is  to  know  this.  So 
also,  it  will  be  necessary  to  assist  a  patient  in  over¬ 
coming  fears  and  doubts.  “Perfect  love  casteth  out 
fear.” 

Therefore  visitors  should  always  bear  these  two 
points  in  mind  in  all  visits : 

First:  The  preparation  of  the  heart  and  mind 
for  the  Guest  that  is  to  be  bidden,  and  from  whom  so 
much  is  to  be  asked. 

Second:  The  casting  away  of  all  doubts  and 
fears,  and  the  strengthening  of  the  faith  to  the  point 
that  will  make  the  visitation  very  real.  It  is  because 
of  this  that  a  prayer  for  increased  faith  on  the  part 
of  all  present  should  always  be  offered  before  the 
prayer  for  healing,  or  before  anointing. 

Personal  Consecration 

The  leader  should  always  make  a  silent  act  of 
personal  consecration  just  before  the  prayer  for  heal- 

49 


ing,  and  realize  that  he  is  acting  as  God’s  instrument, 
and  taking  the  visible  place  of  Jesus,  as  he  lays  hands 
upon  the  patient  and  asks  for  healing,  through  the 
power  of  the  Sacred  Name,  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  The 
prayer  for  healing  should  be  memorized  and  offered 
very  slowly,  with  such  additional  phrases  as  may  be 
required  to  suit  the  special  need. 

Dwell  on  the  Power  of  Love 
At  the  close  of  the  prayer,  the  hands  should 
remain  upon  the  patient  for  a  few  minutes  in  silence, 
during  which  the  thoughts  should  not  be  upon  the 
suffering  of  the  patient,  but  upon  the  fullness  and 
unlimited  power  of  GOD’S  LOVE,  pouring  out  to 
His  children  who  turn  to  Him  in  faith.  The  more 
completely  one  is  able  to  fill  himself  with  this  great 
truth,  the  more  able  will  he  be  to  transmit  it  to  the 
patient.  The  hands  should  be  withdrawn  as  the 
Lord’s  Prayer  is  begun.  The  visit  then  is  closed  with 
the  Grace  and  a  short  silence. 

The  Nazarene  Blessing 

At  the  close  of  the  silence  the  following  blessing 
may  be  said :  May  God  bless  you  with  a  loving  sense 
of  His  near  Presence,  to  guide  you,  to  strengthen  and 
to  protect  you  now  and  forevermore.  Amen. 

The  anointing  office  should  be  used  only  when  it 
is  particularly  requested  by  a  patient,  who  under¬ 
stands  its  Apostolic  character,  and  who  will  gladly 
prepare  for  it.  The  office  should  be  kept  free  from 
extreme  formality  and  may  be  abbreviated,  as  cir¬ 
cumstances  require.  Only  those  deeply  in  sympathy 
with  this  ministry  should  be  present. 


50 


Indeed,  a  most  important  factor  in  all  sick  calls 
is  to  arrange  that  only  those  who  believe  in  healing 
by  prayer  be  permitted  to  remain  in  the  room  while 
prayers  are  being  offered. 

It  is  particularly  advised  that  nurses  and  physi¬ 
cians  be  given  the  literature  of  the  Society.  When  a 
physician  or  a  nurse  is  found  who  is  in  sympathy 
with  the  work,  the  healing  ministry  is  greatly  ad¬ 
vanced.  Many  such  are  now  working  in  deepest 
sympathy  with  it,  having  recognized  its  value,  not 
only  as  a  power  which  has  contributed  much  to  their 
plan,  but  at  times,  a  power,  without  which  they  could 
have  made  no  progress  at  all.  Many  of  our  testi¬ 
monies  show  that  it  is  not  uncommon  for  a  physician 
to  acknowledge  that  prayer,  through  faith  in  God, 
had  accomplished  what  he  had  been  unable  to  do, 
and  what  he  believed  nothing  else  could  do. 

Healing  for  One’s  Self 

Self-healing  should  be  one  of  the  most  natural 
developments  in  the  life  of  every  member  of  the 
Society  of  the  Nazarene.  Many  minor  ills  will  dis¬ 
appear  and  many  serious  attacks  of  illness  will  be 
prevented  as  members  perfect  themselves  in  their 
ability  to  create  a  union  with  God  and  to  tap  at  once 
the  source  of  the  healing  power  of  the  Christ  within. 
A  person  should  learn  to  prepare  himself  just  as  he 
would  prepare  a  person  for  whom  he  is  going  to 
pray.  He  should  cleanse  his  heart  and  mind  and  if 
he  has  been  faithful  in  the  daily  practice  of  the 
Silence,  he  will  find  the  method  natural  and  normal 
and  the  result  correspondingly  more  rapid.  This 


51 


treatment  of  himself  should  be  accomplished  after  he 
has  placed  himself  in  the  Presence  of  God,  and  he 
should  concentrate  upon  the  Love  of  God  and  the 
Power  of  Christ  in  his  heart,  more  than  upon  his 
attack.  As  he  opens  his  heart  for  the  entrance  and 
outpourings  of  Perfect  Love,  he  will  realize  that 
disease  and  pain  must  be  banished  before  this  Divine 
Power.  Should  there  be  no  success,  then  a  healer  or 
minister  should  be  sent  for  and  anointing  or  laying 
on  of  hands  requested. 

Members  of  the  Society  must  not  feel  discouraged 
if  they  are  not  successful  with  themselves  at  the  start, 
or  seem  to  fall  short  of  the  standard  here  set  forth. 
The  work  has  been  neglected  for  so  many  centuries 
that  it  is  hard  to  overcome  old  conventions,  even 
within  ourselves.  Many,  although  no  longer  really 
believing  in  drugs,  will  instinctively  reach  out  for 
the  old  familiar  remedy.  We  must  learn  to  be  as 
patient  with  ourselves  as  we  are  with  others,  and 
gradually  rise  to  higher  planes  and  higher  powers. 
With  some  this  is  easier  than  with  others,  for  the 
latter  often  have  a  much  more  deadly  atmosphere  of 
unbelief  around  them  in  their  homes,  and  are  conse¬ 
quently  unable,  at  first,  to  exercise  their  faith  for 
their  own  healing. 

The  Use  of  Intercessions 
Therefore,  it  should  never  be  considered  an  ele¬ 
ment  of  weakness  or  failure  to  ask  for  intercessions 
or  laying  on  of  hands  for  one’s  self.  Companionship 
constitutes  one  of  the  normal  and  most  helpful  ele¬ 
ments  in  human  life.  Christianity  is  the  highest 
form  of  this  companionship.  Jesus  said: 

52 


“As  my  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved 
you.  Continue  ye  in  my  loved’ 

It  is,  therefore,  normal  and  right  that  we  should 
seek  the  companionship  and  spiritual  strength  of 
those  who  continue  in  His  love  and  who,  because  of 
their  faith,  are  enabled  to  assist  us  in  partaking  of 
the  blessings  of  that  Love. 

Jesus  recognized  the  added  value  of  two  or  three 
agreeing  in  prayer,  and  the  fact  that  the  practice  was 
common  in  apostolic  days,  when  the  faith  of  believers 
illuminated  the  world,  should  be  sufficient  inspira¬ 
tion  for  us  who,  like  them,  are  endeavoring  to  be 
companions  of  the  Nazarene. 

Intercessions — General  and  Local 

Until  Groups  and  Guilds  of  the  Nazarene  began 
to  be  formed  practically  all  the  intercessions  were 
sent  to  the  Director  at  the  home  of  the  Society.  These 
were  held  daily  by  him  and  members  near  him.  As 
certain  cases  did  not  respond  they  were  sent  out  to 
other  members  on  intercession  lists.  Each  week 
brought  also  many  reports  for  Thanksgiving.  As 
Guilds  are  formed  it  is  expected  that  they  will  take 
care  of  all  their  local  patients  by  visitation  and  inter¬ 
cession. 

Exceptional  cases  may  be  sent  to  the  Director 
with  a  request  for  General  Intercession,  but  where  a 
Group  is  well  organized  this  will  not  often  be  neces¬ 
sary.  Where  Groups  are  not  organized  the  Director 
will  continue  to  accept  and  hold  General  Interces¬ 
sions.  He  will  in  turn  send  out  to  Guilds  requests 
for  Intercessions  for  New  Guilds,  New  Work,  and 
for  the  Guidance  of  Members. 

53 


The  Power  of  Union 

Each  member  should  bear  in  mind  that  he  is  not 
only  strengthened  by  fellowship  with  the  local  Guild 
and  the  knowledge  of  their  sympathy  and  prayers, 
but  that  he  is  part  of  a  band  of  faithful  men  and 
women,  encircling  the  world,  who,  in  praying  the 
Prayer  for  the  Society  of  the  Nazarene  each  day,  are 
including  him,  and  that  he  receives  a  portion  of  this 
volume  of  active  Love  and  Power  in  proportion  to  his 
receptivity  and  faith.  Many  men  and  women  have 
written  of  the  wonderful  change  that  came  over  their 
entire  life  within  a  few  days  after  they  became  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Society  of  the  Nazarene.  When  one 
realizes  that  they  have  suddenly  been  included  in 
hundreds  of  faithful  prayers,  the  cause  of  their  ex¬ 
perience  is  not  difficult  to  discern. 

As  our  members  reach  from  coast  to  coast,  from 
extreme  northern  Canada  far  into  South  America; 
are  found  in  Honolulu,  and  in  China,  and  so  on 
around  to  England,  it  is  an  inspiration  to  know  that 
even  while  we  sleep  others  are  praying  for  us  and 
that  practically  during  every  hour  of  the  twenty-four, 
the  Prayers  of  the  Society  are  being  offered  in  un¬ 
broken  strain.  What  a  band  of  love  is  this  with 
which  the  world  has  been  girdled,  and  what  an  in¬ 
spiration  it  is  to  be  a  part  of  that  Living  Band  of 
Love ! 

The  Secret  of  Healing 

As  has  been  stated,  the  true  secret  of  healing  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  model  of  Jesus  is  faith.  Consequently 
in  the  intercessions  and  visitations,  the  greatest  help 
will  be  given  in  proportion  to  the  faith  we  may  inspire 


54 


upon  the  part  of  the  seeker.  A  strong  faith  on  our 
part  is  required,  not  so  much  that  we  may  be  suc¬ 
cessful  healers  or  intercessors,  but  that  we  may  be 
successful  in  awakening  a  like  faith  on  the  part  of 
those  we  would  help. 

When  this  is  accomplished,  the  battle  is  won  and 
the  person  is  lifted  into  union  with  God  and  is  able 
to  appropriate  the  power  of  Chirst’s  healing  presence. 

Patients  have  frequently  reported  that  they 
began  to  improve  immediately  after  they  had  sent  a 
telegram  for  prayers,  when  they  knew  the  telegram 
had  not  yet  reached  its  destination.  The  reason  is 
plain.  Sufficient  faith  had  been  exercised  to  bring 
them  to  the  point  of  asking  persons  to  help  them 
receive  God’s  healing  gift.  For  this  reason  the  stress 
should  always  be  laid  upon  the  fact  that  it  is  faith  in 
God’s  power  that  is  required  and  not  the  special 
ability  of  any  one  healer,  man  or  woman,  or  any  one 
form  of  healing. 

The  true  character  of  the  true  healer  will  not  be 
in  his  ability  to  heal,  but  in  his  ability  to  awaken 
faith  as  Jesus  did,  and  to  prepare  the  soul  for  healing, 
as  Jesus  did,  so  that  the  true  character  of  God’s 
nature  and  Power  and  Love  may  be  unmistakably 
revealed. 

Work  Among  Children 

The  members  of  the  Society  who  are  interested 
in  the  religious  education  of  children  should  use 
every  opportunity  to  interest  their  little  friends  in  the 
Junior  Branch.  This  may  be  accomplished  easily  by 
those  who  are  teachers.  Special  effort  should  be 
made,  therefore,  to  bring  the  subject  to  the  attention 


55 


of  instructors  and  superintendents  of  Sunday 
Schools,  and  provide  them  with  leaflets  of  the  Junior 
Branch.  Members  of  the  Junior  Branch  over  twelve 
years  of  age  may  be  invited  to  Group  Meetings.  They 
are  advanced  to  full  associate  membership  in  the 
Society  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 


56 


PART  II 
Topics  for  Study 


The  following  outlines  are  offered  as  suggestions, 
not  only  for  addresses  where  there  are  regular  leaders 
of  a  group,  but  for  discussion  and  study  among 
members.  One  doesn’t  realize  how  many  obstacles 
there  are  to  overcome  in  the  practice  of  the  ministry 
and  in  its  restoration.  Some  of  these  obstacles  are 
within  and  some  are  without.  Difficulties  of  either 
nature  should  not  be  avoided  or  passed  over,  but 
bravely  faced  and  vanquished.  Otherwise  faith  goes 
limping  forward,  and  often  fails  when  emergency 
arises. 


CHAPTER  I 

The  Character  of  the  Work 

Every  Group  member  should  recognize  at  the  be¬ 
ginning  that  the  meetings  are  not  to  be  regarded  as 
merely  a  quiet  time,  but  a  period  of  energetic  mental 
and  spiritual  activity. 

Many  people  do  not  know  the  true  character  of 
prayer  until  they  have  recognized  in  it  the  most  im¬ 
portant  kind  of  real  work. 


57 


Prayer  is  not  merely  kneeling  on  one’s  knees, 
closing  one’s  eyes  and  uttering  petitions.  Those  are 
the  outward  signs.  The  great  WORK  must  take 
place  inside  and  should  be  as  regular  and  as  genuine 
as  any  other  form  of  work  by  means  of  which  we 
expect  to  accomplish  some  definite  end. 

The  fact  that  it  is  an  invisible  work  should  not 
detract  from  its  reality.  The  messages  speeding 
back  and  forth  around  the  earth,  without  wires,  are 
quite  invisible,  yet  no  one  for  a  moment  doubts  their 
reality. 

To  endow  this  work  of  ours,  therefore,  with  a 
sense  of  reality,  one  must  recognize  in  himself  a 
spiritual  “sending  instrument,”  as  well  as  a  “receiv¬ 
ing  instrument”  all  in  tune  with  a  Divine  Source. 
Thus  he  is  enabled  to  draw  upon  this  Divine  force 
and  disseminate  it  to  others  as  truly  as  invisible 
messages  are  picked  up  by  wireless  operators  and 
transmitted  in  plain  terms.  A  person  who  has  had 
experience  in  this  kind  of  work,  no  longer  questions 
its  reality,  but  recognizes  it  as  a  great  practical  fact. 
It  is  demonstrable  in  his  life  as  the  fact  of  the  wireless 
is  to  the  radio  operator.* 

All  prayer  life  is  transformed  the  moment  this 
fact  is  actually  realized.  Prayer  no  longer  is  given 
a  place  as  a  conventional  habit,  but  assumes  the 
character  of  a  magnificent  spiritual  attainment.  It 
soon  becomes  a  fascinating  activity,  which  one 

*(Note. — Bishop  Brent,  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  calls  this 
phenomena  the  Spiritual  Science  of  the  Radio.  Archbishop 
DuVernet,  of  Prince  Rupert,  B.  C.,  calls  it  “Radio-Mind.” — 
A.  J.  G.  B.) 


58 


enjoys  as  truly  as  one  enjoys  a  pleasurable  and  suc¬ 
cessful  work,  which  produces  such  things  as  make 
for  the  happiness  and  welfare  of  others. 

In  entering  upon  the  work  of  prayer,  one  then  is 
enabled  to  place  himself  in  God’s  realm  and  to  know 
that  he  is  being  played  upon  by  Divine  forces,  which, 
in  proportion  to  his  capacity  to  receive,  he  in  turn 
may  radiate  to  others. 

The  Secret  of  Victory 

God’s  way  of  reaching  men  and  women  is 
through  those  who  have  faith  in  Him.  We  do  not 
accomplish  His  will  until  we  set  this  faith  of  ours  to 
work.  We  may  receive  guidance  to  do  many  things 
in  a  material  way,  but  the  greatest  work  will  be  per¬ 
formed  in  prayer,  invisibly.  It  is  through  this  unseen 
force  that  hearts  are  opened,  strength  obtained,  and 
guidance  given,  and  power  imparted.  It  is  on  this 
unseen  field  that  the  great  battles  are  won.  That  is 
the  place  from  which  valiant  warriors  emerge, 
conquerors  already ,  in  the  face  of  what  seem  to  be 
overwhelming  odds. 

The  work  of  healing  in  hopeless  cases,  the  victory 
over  long  standing  evils,  which  are  then  performed 
and  at  which  the  world  marvels,  are  not  really  the 
great  works  after  all.  They  are  only  the  results  of 
the  GREAT  WORK  performed  on  the  knees  in  the 
silence,  by  virtue  of  which  the  VISIBLE  ACTS  are 
made  possible. 

In  proportion  as  we  grow  to  recognize  in  our 
prayer  time  a  period  of  spiritual  activity — a  real 
work  in  close  harmony  with  God’s  plan — so  we  shall 


59 


grow  to  have  less  concern  with  regard  to  the  results 
of  our  visible  ministry.  We  shall  go  forth  with  a 
confidence  not  otherwise  obtained.  Doubts  and  fears 
will  have  no  place  even  in  the  face  of  apparent  delay , 
for  our  real  work  will  have  been  done. 

We  hear  much  of  the  joy  of  the  man  who  loves 
his  work.  The  work  to  which  we  set  ourselves  in  the 
Group  Meetings  should  be  the  most  joyous  in  all  the 
world.  It  should  impart  a  keener  pleasure  than  any 
other  activity.  For  it  is  a  work  in  the  spiritual 
Kingdom  with  and  for  God,  and  imparts  to  man  the 
greatest  blessings  he  can  receive  in  this  life.  We  can 
say  with  Jesus,  “I  work  the  works  of  Him  that  sent 
Me.” 


60 


CHAPTER  II 


The  Importance  of  the  Work 

Unless  we  recognize  the  vast  importance  of  the 
work  we  are  undertaking,  we  shall  fail  to  sense  the 
true  character  of  the  Group  Meeting.  It  is  a  special 
time  we  have  surrendered  to  God.  The  appointment 
is  with  Jesus  and  the  work  is  His,  and  in  it  we  are 
having  a  share.  Nothing  short  of  an  unusual 
emergency  should  keep  us  from  the  meeting.  Gen¬ 
erous  souls  always  rejoice  in  doing  a  work  where  they 
know  they  are  needed.  He  needs  us,  because  He  has 
left  this  work  not  to  angels,  but  in  human  hands,  and 
His  children  need  us.  He  is  depending  upon  us  to 
carry  this  food  to  them,  to  demonstrate  His  love  and 
power,  which  they  have  not  yet  found. 

Is  anything  more  important  than  this? 

It  will  not  interfere  with  our  daily  work,  our 
business  or  home  life,  but  it  will  have  a  very  won¬ 
derful  effect  upon  all  our  activities,  for  it  will  smooth 
out  of  them  many  of  their  problems  and  annoyances. 
Forgetfulness  of  our  spiritual  relationship  is  that 
which  makes  the  day’s  work  drag,  and  home  life  un¬ 
pleasant.  When  we  are  alive  to  our  responsibility  to 
demonstrate  our  sonship  we  see  all  things  with 
clearer  eyes  and  we  prosper  and  grow  happier  ac¬ 
cordingly.  It  is  because  we  have  placed  God’s  work 
first.  Until  we  do  this  we  have  not  fully  related 
ourselves  to  Him. 


61 


The  average  Christian  has  too  long  reluctantly 
spared  Him  an  hour  and  a  half  on  Sunday  morning, 
with  perhaps  a  few  hurried  moments  of  make-believe 
prayer  at  night.  Nothing  has  come  from  it  and  so 
the  average  Christian  has  little  use  for  Church,  and 
is  sure  God  doesn’t  answer  prayer,  because  “he  has 
tried  it.”  God  was  second,  third,  fourth  or  fifth — 
according  to  the  number  of  his  ambitions  and  other 
attractions.  He  thought  he  was  giving  God  a  place, 
perhaps  a  proper  one  in  comparison  with  the  im¬ 
portance  of  his  affairs,  but  he  could  not  find  God  in 
the  place  he  had  assigned  to  Him,  for  God  does  not 
take  even  second  place. 

He  cannot  be  put  in  a  pigeon  hole  or  assigned  to 
part  of  one  day  a  week.  He  must  have  the  whole 
desk  and  every  day  must  be  recognized  as  His. 

Until  God  has  been  given  first  place,  He  does  not 
exist  in  the  life  of  the  individual,  as  far  as  the  indi¬ 
vidual  himself  is  concerned.  Man  cannot  relate 
himself  to  the  great  power  of  God,  until  he  has  given 
Him  first  place  and  considered  all  else  of  secondary 
importance.  With  most  people  He  is  like  a  great 
engine,  running  in  neutral.  All  of  its  splendid  power 
is  ready,  but  it  takes  the  proper  lever  to  communicate 
that  power  to  the  boat  or  car.  Nothing  could  be  more 
important  than  the  knowledge  of  how  that  power  may 
be  appropriated.  That  power  is  Divine  Life  and 
Love,  and  makes  all  things  new. 

As  man  becomes  conscious  of  the  power  of  God 
within  him  he  is  able  to  demonstrate  that  power  and 
love  to  others. 

Consider  the  real  importance  of  all  this ! 


62 


It  is  the  very  secret  of  relationship  with  God. 
We  should  try  to  make  it  very  clear  to  others.  We 
cannot  do  this  until  it  is  very  clear  to  us.  If  any  one 
person  or  thing  looms  up  in  our  lives  as  more  im¬ 
portant,  Jesus  says  to  us:  “One  thing  thou  lackest.” 


63 


CHAPTER  III 


The  Preparation  for  the  Work 

In  carrying  on  a  real  work  of  this  nature,  mem¬ 
bers  should  recognize  at  the  start  that  they  are  likely 
to  encounter  obstacles  from  quarters  where  they  are 
least  expected.  To  be  forewarned  is  to  be  saved  from 
discouragement.  Consequently  we  should  give  atten¬ 
tion  to  the  study  of  our  subject  so  that  we  may  be 
prepared  to  exercise  our  intelligence  to  the  fullest  in 
the  problems  that  may  confront  us. 

The  unexpected  sources  are  found  to  be  among 
church  members  of  long  standing.  How  often  the 
lives  of  many  regular  church-goers  are  obviously 
unrelated  to  the  simple  teachings  of  Jesus  and  have 
no  participation  in  the  blessings  He  claimed  His 
disciples  would  receive.  The  blessings  of  the  King¬ 
dom  have  been  unprovided  not  because  people  have 
not  yearned  for  them  but  because  the  faith  necessary 
to  receive  them  was  lacking.  This  lack  in  turn  may 
be  traced  to  failure  on  the  part  of  teachers  of  religion, 
upon  whom  Christians  have  been  depending  for  in¬ 
struction  in  the  ways  of  God.  Such  conditions  will 
be  found  among  many  very  earnest  and  devout  per¬ 
sons,  through  no  fault  of  their  own.  It  may  be  the 
fault  of  a  traditional,  Hebraic  theology,  faulty  train¬ 
ing  in  childhood,  which  has  given  rise  to  strong, 
deep-seated  disappointments  in  religious  leaders ;  or 


64 


theological  errors,  through  the  misinterpretation  of 
isolated  texts.  These  represent  only  a  few  of  the 
difficulties  which  will  be  encountered  among  many 
who  really  desire  to  accept  the  healing  message  of 
Jesus,  but  who  cannot  seem  to  rid  themselves  of  the 
conventional  teachings  of  many  generations,  and 
which  have  become  so  definitely  attached  to  the  offi¬ 
cial  doctrines  of  many  of  the  churches. 

Some  will  be  found  who  place  as  high  a  value 
upon  every  part  of  the  Old  Testament  as  they  do 
upon  the  Gospels.  Until  they  can  be  brought  to  re¬ 
gard  the  Old  Testament  in  the  light  and  teachings  of 
Jesus,  they  cannot  be  expected  to  receive  the  fullness 
of  His  message.  Even  in  St.  Paul’s  Epistles  there 
are  doctrines  which  do  not  harmonize  with  the  teach¬ 
ings  of  Jesus,  and  which  clearly  show  a  distinct 
Hebraic  tendency,  which  is  natural  and  which  may 
easily  be  overlooked.  But  his  Epistles  should  not  be 
given  the  same  value  as  the  teachings  of  Jesus  and 
made  the  basis  of  Christian  doctrines  and  dogmas. 
Some  of  these  writings  have  been  accorded  an  im¬ 
portance  sufficiently  great  to  warrant  the  founding 
of  a  new  sect.  The  doctrine  of  predestination,  and 
that  some  vessels  are  created  for  glory  and  others  for 
destruction,  is  one  of  the  instances.  Another  is  St. 
Paul’s  belief  that  his  illness  was  sent  by  Satan  to 
buffet  him,  thus  giving  rise  to  the  belief  held  by  many 
people  that  an  evil  spirit  may  inflict  physical  injury 
upon  man.  St.  Paul  was  not  incapable  of  slight 
theological  error,  but  Jesus  was. 


65 


Jesus  the  Standard 

It  is  because  of  these  difficulties  that  members  of 
the  Society  are  requested  to  read  a  small  portion  from 
one  of  the  Gospels  daily.  This  does  not  imply  that 
the  Bible  reading  is  to  be  so  limited.  In  fact,  the 
reading  of  other  parts  of  our  Bible  is  encouraged. 
But  the  stress  is  placed  upon  the  Gospels  because  we 
should  compare  and  measure  all  other  parts  of  the 
Bible,  both  New  and  Old  Testament,  by  the  teachings 
and  methods  of  Jesns. 

The  unhappy  doctrine  that  sickness  is  sent  by 
God  as  a  punishment  and  that  at  times  He  has  a 
purpose  in  refusing  to  heal,  was  fastened  upon  all  the 
Christian  Churches  simply  because  it  is  implied  in 
some  of  the  Epistles,  and  more  especially  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  Many  people  of  the  present 
generation  so  revolted  against  this  doctrine  that  they 
felt  they  had  to  leave  their  Churches  in  order  to  get 
rid  of  it.  They  never  should  have  been  forced  to 
such  an  action  for  the  doctrine  is  distinctly  Hebraic 
in  its  conception  and  character,  and  is  not  in  har¬ 
mony  with  any  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus.  On  the 
contrary,  He  taught  and  practiced  exactly  the 

opposite. 

For  this  reason  members  should  be  so  saturated 
with  the  words  and  teachings  of  Jesus  that  they  will 
be  able  to  answer  readily  all  difficulties  and  theo¬ 
logical  problems  which  are  presented  to  them. 

Many  of  the  Churches  are  beginning  to  discard 
these  doctrines.  In  the  Episcopal  Church  the  Com¬ 
mission  on  Braver  Book  revision  have  presented  new 
prayers  for  the  sick  and  provided  for  laying-on-of- 


66 


hands  and  anointing,  but,  for  a  generation  at  least, 
much  theology  will  have  to  he  unlearned  before 
faith  can  be  stimulated  to  the  point  where  God’s 
blessings  may  be  appropriated.  This  is  a  harder 
task  than  presenting  the  faith  to  one  who  has  never 
believed  and  has  no  theological  obstacles,  but  it  is  a 
task  which  confronts  us  and  one  toward  which  we 
should  set  ourselves  with  all  our  intelligence, 
sympathy  and  infinite  patience. 

Reasons  for  Failure 

The  fact  that  Church  people  have  for  so  long  a 
time  been  trained  in  exactly  the  opposite  view  of 
God’s  will  for  man,  furnishes  one  of  the  commonest 
reasons  for  failure  when  intercessions  or  the  healing 
ministry  are  requested.  Many  appeals  for  help  come 
from  Christians  only  as  a  last  resort,  and  they  spring 
from  anxiety  and  fear.  Some  think  it  will  operate 
upon  a  relative  as  some  mysterious  treatment.  No 
element  of  real  faith  in  God  is  apparent,  nor  any 
knowledge  of  His  inherent  character  as  Perfect  Love. 
When  a  patient’s  faith  cannot  be  awakened  and  he 
passes  on,  relatives  at  once  reveal  their  state  of  mind 
by  declaring  the  death  to  he  the  will  of  God,  irrespec¬ 
tive  of  all  the  evil  and  ignorance  in  evidence  to  prove 
the  contrary.  With  the  old  theology  deep-seated  in 
their  minds,  a  real  living  faith  was  not  possible.  In 
asking  for  the  healing  ministry  they  were  just  “trying 
it.”  Jesus  showed  many  times  it  couldn’t  be  used 
that  way.  A  great,  true  faith  is  necessary  for  its 
operation.  Furthermore,  it  is  so  delicate  that  it  can¬ 
not  he  exercised  fully  and  properly  in  an  atmosphere 
of  unbelief. 


67 


This  is  the  sad  fact  that  must  be  faced.  That  in 
many  so-called  Christian  homes  where  we  should 
look  for  fertile  ground  upon  which  to  work,  an 
atmosphere  ready,  sympathetic  and  responsive,  we 
find  dullness,  a  barrier,  an  atmosphere  of  unbelief. 
How  soon  the  atmosphere  of  those  homes  would  be 
changed,  how  radiant  they  would  become,  if  the 
dwellers  there  only  knew  the  manifold  blessings  that 
would  be  bestowed.  To  bring  about  such  changes  in 
Christian  homes  let  us  earnestly  and  intelligently 
devote  ourselves. 

If  we  aim  to  be  the  means  of  creating  an  atmos¬ 
phere  of  faith  in  homes ,  and  if  the  reality  of  that 
atmosphere  depends  upon  the  faith  of  the  dwellers , 
how  zealous  we  should  be  in  creating  such  an  atmos¬ 
phere  in  our  Guild  Meetings! 


68 


CHAPTER  IV 


A  Vision  of  Unity 

In  our  various  Groups  there  may  be  persons 
representing  various  denominations.  Practically  all 
the  denominations  are  now  included  in  Society  mem¬ 
bership.  But  banded  together  in  the  simple  prin¬ 
ciples  of  the  Society,  their  doctrinal  differences  dis¬ 
appear  and  they  become  brothers  in  Christ  actuated 
by  one  motive,  imbued  with  one  desire, — the  reali¬ 
zation  of  the  Presence  of  God  and  the  performance 
of  His  will  for  mankind  through  the  name  of  Jesus, 
who,  according  to  their  belief,  is  meeting  with  them. 

Some  of  our  members  have  expressed  themselves 
in  the  belief  that  the  unity  of  Christendom  will  come 
about  in  this  way.  It  is  so  simple  that  perhaps  it  may 
be  the  way.  At  any  rate,  it  makes  for  unity  now  for 
us,  and  as  we  see  minds  of  various  types  throw  off  the 
differences  that  formerly  separated  them,  and  unite 
in  a  bond  of  perfect  brotherhood,  we  may  glimpse  a 
partial  meaning  of  the  words  of  the  Master: 

“And  there  shall  be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd.” 

Consecration  to  the  Impossible 

The  aspiration  we  set  for  the  atmosphere  and 
character  of  the  Group  is  high,  but  it  must  not,  there¬ 
fore,  be  considered  unattainable.  Too  many  Church 
members  are  willing  to  accept  the  teachings  of  Jesus 
as  perfect,  but  are  inclined  to  regard  them  as  im- 


69 


possible  of  realization.  The  moment  a  man  says 
that,  or  even  thinks  it,  he  rejects  the  Gospel.  The 
teachings  of  Jesus  are  the  most  practical  rudiments 
of  life  ever  offered  to  man  and  they  are  not  practised 
because  the  above  fallacy  has,  by  long  repetition, 
become  almost  a  truism. 

Jesus  consecrated  Himself  to  the  task,  not  only 
of  revealing  God  in  His  true  nature  to  the  world,  but 
in  changing  the  current  theology  of  the  day,  which 
misrepresented  God.  The  latter  was  His  hardest 
task  and  the  same  task  confronts  us.  Those  who 
accepted  His  teachings  He  likened  to  the  salt  of  the 
earth,  to  a  light  set  upon  a  hill.  Dr.  Jones  presents 
an  inspiring  picture  of  such  a  company  of  people. 

“Persons  of  the  blessed  life,  Christ  says,  are  the 
saving  salt  of  the  earth.  They  carry  their  whole¬ 
some  savor  into  everything  they  touch.  They  do  not 
try  to  save  themselves.  They  are  ready  like  salt  to 
dissolve  and  disappear,  but,  the  more  they  give  them¬ 
selves  away,  the  more  antiseptic  and  preservative 
they  become  to  the  society  in  which  they  live.  .  .  . 
This  preservative  and  saving  influence  on  society 
depends,  however,  entirely  on  the  continuance  of  the 
inner  quality  of  life  and  it  will  be  certain  to  cease  if 
ever  the  salt  lose  its  savor,  i.e.,  if  the  soul  of  religion 
wanes  or  dies  away  and  only  the  outer  form  of  it 
remains. 

“But  such  lives  are  more  than  antiseptic  and  pre¬ 
servative  ;  they  are  kindling  and  illuminative.  They 
becomes  ‘candles  of  the  Lord.’  Candles  emit  their 
light  and  kindle  other  candles  by  burning  themselves 
up  and  transmitting  their  flame.  When  a  life  is  set 

70 


on  fire,  and  is  radiant  with  self-consuming  love,  it 
will  invariably  set  other  lives  on  fire.  Such  a  person 
may  teach  many  valuable  ideas,  he  may  organize 
many  movements,  he  may  attack  many  evil  customs, 
but  the  best  thing  he  will  ever  do  will  be  to  fuse  and 
kindle  other  souls  with  the  fire  of  his  passion.  His 
own  burning,  shining  life  is  always  his  supreme 
service.  Such  a  person  will  be  eager  to  decrease  that 
his  kindling  power  may  increase.  He  will  not  care 
to  save  himself,  or  to  reap  a  reward  for  his  service. 
He  may  not  even  know  that  he  is  shining,  like  the 
early  saint  who  ‘wist  not  that  his  face  did  shine.’  But 
for  all  that,  men  will  see  the  way  by  his  light  and  will 
catch  the  glory  of  living  because  he  exhibits  it.  He 
can  no  more  be  hid  than  can  a  hill-top  city,  or  the 
headlight  of  a  locomotive,  or  the  newly  risen  sun. 

“That  is  Christ’s  way  of  spreading  the  life  of  the 
Kingdom,  that  is  His  method  of  propagating  the 
inner  spirit,  and  of  producing  a  society  of  blessed 
people.”* 


*1  commend  most  earnestly  the  reading  of  Dr.  Jones’ 
book,  “The  Inner  Life,”  as  it  expounds  much  which  this 
book  has  to  offer.  I  did  not  know  of  it  until  I  was  revising 
this  manuscript.  His  other  books,  “The  World  Within”  and 
“Spiritual  Energies,”  should  also  be  read.  They  are  pub¬ 
lished  by  Macmillan  Co. 


71 


PART  III 

THE  FOLLOWING  are  some  Orders  of 
Service,  Prayers  and  Healing  Formulas  together 
with  a  LITANY  which  will  prove  useful  to  the 
Clergy  and  others  who  conduct  Healing  services. 
Some  of  these  are  specially  designed  for  use  in 
Nazarene  Guilds,  Healing  Prayer  Circles  and  Study 
Groups  as  well  as  for  Healing  Services  and  Missions. 

They  are  to  be  used  with  discretion,  always  re¬ 
membering  that  “the  letter  killeth  but  the  Spirit 
giveth  life.” 

(1)  ORDER  OF  SERVICE  FOR  PRAYER  AND 
SPIRITUAL  HEALING 

HYMN. 

Hear  what  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  saith: 

“Heal  the  sick,  and  say  unto  them,  £The  Kingdom  of 
God  is  come  nigh  unto  ypu.’  ” 

“All  things  whatsoever  ye  pray  and  ask  for,  believe 
that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them.” 

Hear  also  what  St.  James  saith: 

“Is  any  sick  among  you?  Let  him  call  for  the  elders 
of  the  church ;  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anoint¬ 
ing  him  with  oil  in  the  N ame  of  the  Lord :  And 
the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the 
Lord  shall  raise  him  up;  and  if  he  have  com¬ 
mitted  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him.” 

Hear  also  what  St.  Paul  saith: 

“Be  ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind.” 


72 


“God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear,  but  of 
power,  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind.” 

Hear  also  what  St.  John  saith: 

“Beloved,  I  pray  above  all  things  that  thou  mayest 
prosper  and  be  in  health,  even  as  thy  soul 
prospereth.” 

Here  may  be  said  A  PSALM. 

After  which  shall  follow 

A  READING  FROM  HOLY  SCRIPTURE. 

ADDRESS. 

HYMN. 

Then  the  Minister  shall  say:  “The  Lord  be  with 
you.” 

And  the  People  shall  answer:  “And  with  thy  spirit.” 
Minister :  “Let  us  pray.” 

THE  LORD’S  PRAYER. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  Hallowed  be  Thy 
Name.  Thy  Kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be  done  on 
earth,  As  it  is  in  heaven.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread.  And  forgive  us  our  trespasses,  As  we  forgive 
those  who  trespass  against  us.  And  lead  us  not  into 
temptation;  But  deliver  us  from  evil.  For  Thine  is 
the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory,  forever 
and  ever.  Amen. 

Then  shall  be  said  the  following  LITANY  bv 
the  Minister  and  People. 

O  Christ,  our  Saviour,  here  present  with  us  as 
we  pray : 

Graciously  hear  us,  O  Lord. 


73 


For  Thy  loving  Presence  with  us,  promised  to  us 
through  all  the  ages : 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Lord. 

For  the  power  given  to  us  through  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  intercede  for  Thy  weak  and  suffering  children: 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Lord. 

For  health  of  soul  and  body  given  in  answer  to 
our  prayers : 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Lord. 

For  the  power  of  Thy  Healing  Presence  to  dispel 
all  evil  and  weakness  of  body  and  soul : 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Lord. 

For  the  gift  of  Healing  given  to  Thy  Church  and 
manifest  in  Thy  members : 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Lord. 

That  it  may  please  Thee  to  unite  all  Christian 
people  in  one  bond  of  faith  and  love  in  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit: 

We  beseech  Thee  to  hear  us,  O  Lord. 

That  it  may  please  Thee  to  revive  in  greater 
measure  the  ministry  of  healing  in  Thy  Church 
today: 

We  beseech  Thee  to  hear  us,  O  Lord. 

That  those  whom  Thou  callest  to  Thy  healing 
ministry  may  consecrate  themselves  wholly  to  Thee 

in  this  blessed  work : 

We  beseech  Thee  to  hear  us,  O  Lord. 

That  it  may  please  Thee  to  bless  all  who  minister 
to  the  sick  and  suffering,  and  to  give  them  loving 

hearts  and  healing  hands : 

We  beseech  Thee  to  hear  us,  O  Lord. 

Jesus,  Emmanuel,  God  with  us: 

Hear  us  and  answer  us,  O  Lord. 

74 


(The  Minister  or  Leader  will  select  from  the  fol¬ 
lowing  Prayers  whichever  ones  he  considers  most 
appropriate  for  the  occasion.) 

The  Prayers  are  numbered  in  order  that  the 
leader  may  thus  announce  them  when  desirable  in  a 
Group  meeting. 

1.  For  Faith 

O  Lord  Jesus,  who  saidst  unto  those  who  im¬ 
plored  Thine  aid  and  whose  hope  was  stayed  on  Thee 
alone,  “According  to  thy  faith  so  be  it  unto  thee”; 
grant  us  grace  to  place  our  trust  so  fully  in  Thee  that 
we,  likewise,  may  experience  the  fruition  of  Thy 
blessed  assurance.  Strengthen  Thou  our  faith: 
fortify  it  where  it  is  weak,  so  that  it  may  be  perfected 
and  worthy  of  Thee,  O  Saviour,  who  ever  livest  to 
make  intercession  for  us  with  the  Father,  world 
without  end.  Amen. 

2.  For  Health  and  Healing 

Almighty  God,  who  art  the  only  source  of  health 
and  healing,  the  spirit  of  calm  and  the  central  peace 
of  the  universe;  grant  to  us,  Thy  children,  such  a 
consciousness  of  Thy  indwelling  presence  as  may 
give  us  perfect  confidence  in  Thee.  In  all  pain  and 
weariness  and  anxiety  may  we  throw  ourselves  upon 
Thy  protecting  care,  that  knowing  ourselves  fenced 
about  by  Thy  loving  omnipotence,  we  may  permit 
Thee  to  give  us  health  and  strength  and  peace; 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

3.  For  the  Workers 

O  Lord,  the  Healer  of  all  diseases,  who  didst 
charge  Thy  Church  to  carry  on  Thy  saving  work, 

75 


not  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  alone,  but  also  by 
the  healing  of  the  sick;  bless  all  whom  Thou  hast 
called  to  be  fellow  laborers  with  Thee  in  this 
ministry ;  give  unto  them  health  of  body  and  of  soul ; 
grant  that  they  may  exercise  their  ministry  in  entire 
dependence  upon  Thee,  under  Thy  sanction  and  for 
Thy  glory;  who  livest  and  reignest  with  the  Father 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  one  God,  world  without  end. 
Amen. 

4.  For  a  Joyful  Religion 

Almighty  God,  at  whose  right  hand  are  pleasures 
for  evermore ;  we  pray  Thee  to  make  our  religion  one 
of  joy  and  brightness.  Dispel  from  our  minds  all 
doubt  and  gloom  that  as  Thy  redeemed  and  forgiven 
children  we  may  evermore  rejoice.  Grant  that  day 
by  day  our  lips  may  be  singing  Thy  praises,  and  our 
hearts  be  gladdened  in  holy  anticipation  of  that  peace 
of  Thine  that  passeth  understanding;  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

5.  For  Personal  Faith 

Blessed  Lord,  who  hast  promised  never  to  leave 
nor  forsake  Thy  servant,  I  am  not  worthy  so  much  as 
to  touch  the  hem  of  Thy  garment.  Only  do  Thou 
hear  me  and  have  pity  upon  me.  Strengthen  and 
confirm  my  faith  in  Thee,  that  I  may  take  Thee  at 
Thy  word  and  accept  Thy  gracious  promise,  u What¬ 
soever  ye  shall  ask  in  My  Name,  that  will  I  do.” 
Lord,  I  believe;  help  Thou  mine  unbelief,  I  ask  for 
Thy  mercy’s  sake.  Amen. 

6.  For  Physicians  and  Nurses 

Almighty  God,  who  didst  call  Thy  servants,  St. 
Luke  and  St.  Barnabas,  to  follow  the  steps  of  Thy 


76 


Blessed  Son  in  ministering  to  the  sick  and  suffering; 
grant  to  all  physicians,  nurses,  and  others  who  care 
for  the  sick,  that  by  gentleness  and  love,  faithfulness 
and  patience,  they  may  help  and  heal  Thine  afflicted 
children  both  in  body  and  soul.  Support  them  in 
their  work ;  imbue  them  with  wisdom  and  skill ;  give 
them  sympathy  for  one  another;  deliver  them  from 
all  temptation;  and  at  last  bring  them  to  Thy  rest 
and  peace;  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

The  Minister  may  use  other  prayers  or  may  say : 

Let  us  pray  in  silence  for  little  children  .  .  . 
the  aged  .  .  .  those  troubled  in  mind  or  spirit 
,  etc. 

7.  Thanksgiving  for  Healing 

O  God,  whose  mercies  are  without  number,  and 
the  treasure  of  whose  goodness  is  infinite;  we  give 
Thee  hearty  thanks  for  the  blessings  which  Thou 
hast  bestowed  upon  Thy  servant;  and  we  humbly 
beseech  Thee  that,  as  Thou  hast  granted  that  for 
which  we  prayed,  so  Thou  wouldst  continue  Thy 
goodness  towards  us,  and  prepare  us  by  Thy  bless¬ 
ings  in  this  life  for  the  enjoyment  of  eternal  happi¬ 
ness  in  the  life  to  come.  Through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  Amen. 

8.  For  the  Society  of  the  Nazarene 

O  Lord  Jesus,  who  in  Thy  divine  compassion 
didst  minister  to  the  bodily  ills  of  man  and  didst 
bestow  upon  Thy  disciples  the  gift  of  healing  through 
the  power  of  Thy  Sacred  Name,  grant,  we  beseech 
Thee,  increase  of  faith  and  purity  of  life  to  all  those 
who  are  called  to  serve  Thee  in  the  Society  of  the 


77 


Nazarene.  Endue  them  with  perseverance  and  so 
guide  them  by  Thy  blessed  spirit  in  their  ministry 
of  intercession  and  healing,  that  they  may  bring 
many  souls  into  union  with  Thee,  O  Saviour  of  the 
world,  who  livest  and  reignest  with  the  Father  and 
the  Holy  Spirit,  ever  one  God,  world  without  end. 
Amen. 

9.  For  the  Sacred  Name 
O  God,  who  hast  made  that  most  glorious  Name 
of  Thy  Son,  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  ineffably 
sweet  and  full  of  deepest  love  unto  Thy  faithful  ones, 
and  victorious  in  overcoming  all  the  power  of  evil; 
mercifully  grant  that  all  who  devoutly  venerate  this 
Name  upon  earth  may  reap  the  fulness  of  Thy  power, 
the  sweetness  of  Thy  consolation  in  this  life  and  in 
the  life  beyond,  continued  joy  with  Thee;  through 
the  same  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

10.  Thanksgiving  for  Our  Founder 
Almighty  and  everliving  God,  we  yield  unto  Thee 
most  high  praise  and  hearty  thanks,  for  the  wonder¬ 
ful  grace  and  virtue  declared  in  all  Thy  saints,  who 
have  been  the  choice  vessels  of  Thy  grace,  and  the 
lights  of  the  world  in  their  several  generations. 

Especially  do  we  bless  Thy  Name  for  the  life 
and  example  of  the  Founder  of  the  Society  of  the 
Nazarene,  whose  witness  and  teaching  concerning 
the  Ministry  of  Healing  have  been  so  abundantly 
blessed  to  the  alleviation  of  suffering,  both  of  body 
and  soul  to  Thy  people.  May  the  inspiration  of  his 
example  urge  us  on  to  greater  consecration  and 
service  to  the  glory  of  Thy  Holy  Name,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

78 


11.  Healing  Prayer  for  Intercession 

0  most  gracious  and  loving  Father,  purify  our 
souls  from  everything  that  may  hide  Thee  from  us. 
Let  us  feel  Thy  quickening  power  flowing  through 
us,  building  us  up  into  strength  and  sweetness.  Con¬ 
secrate  our  talents,  our  time  and  our  thoughts  to  Thy 
holy  service.  Strengthen  us  in  body  and  in  spirit 
that  we  may  become  living  channels  of  Thy  truth 
and  Thy  love.  Help  us  to  realize  that  Thou  art 
present  with  us  at  all  times  and  in  all  places  so  that 
we  may  with  perfect  faith  entrust  ourselves  and  all 
that  are  dear  to  us  to  Thy  never-failing  care,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

(This  prayer  is  used  daily  at  Headquarters.) 

12.  Prayer  for  the  Presence  of  Christ 

O  Living  Christ,  make  us  conscious  now  of  Thy 
healing  nearness.  Touch  our  eyes  that  we  may  see 
Thee;  open  our  ears  that  we  may  hear  Thy  voice; 
enter  our  hearts  that  we  may  know  Thy  love.  Over¬ 
shadow  our  souls  and  bodies  with  Thy  presence,  that 
we  may  partake  of  Thy  Strength,  Thy  Love  and  Thy 
Healing  Life.  Amen. 

O  God,  who  has  prepared  for  those  who  love 
Thee  such  good  things  as  pass  man’s  understand¬ 
ing;  pour  into  our  hearts  such  love  toward  Thee, 
that  we,  loving  Thee  above  all  things,  may  obtain 
Thy  promises  which  exceed  all  that  we  can  desire; 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

13.  The  Nazarene  Blessing 

May  God  bless  us  with  a  loving  sense  of  His  near 
Presence,  to  guide  us,  to  strengthen  us  and  to  protect 
us,  now  and  forevermore.  Amen. 

79 


14.  Memorial  Prayer  for  the  Nazarene  House 

O  God,  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  didst  endow  with 
special  gifts  Thy  faithful  servant  our  Beloved 
Founder,  and  drawing  him  into  ever  closer  union 
with  Thyself  didst  vouchsafe  unto  him  a  glorious 
vision  of  Thy  Will  for  the  world.  Grant,  we  beseech 
Thee,  that  we  who  have  come  into  this  blessed 
heritage  as  members  of  the  Society  of  the  Nazarene, 
may  be  Thy  instruments  in  opening  the  way  for  the 
realization  of  our  Founder’s  vision  of  a  Nazarene 
House,  whereby  many  may  find  inspiration  and 
healing  both  in  body  and  soul.  Wilt  Thou  prepare 
those  whom  Thou  art  calling  to  this  work,  increase 
in  them  courage  and  faith  to  overcome  all  difficulties 
and  a  right  judgment  in  all  things  through  the  power 
of  Thy  indwelling  Spirit. 

May  the  intercessions  of  our  Beloved  Founder 
assist  us,  and  may  we  all  be  united  in  the  mystical 
communion  of  Saints,  and  finally  be  brought  with 
them  into  those  everlasting  habitations  whither  our 
Saviour  Christ  is  gone  before,  where  with  Thee,  O 
Father,  and  Thee,  O  Holy  Ghost,  He  liveth  and 
reigneth  ever  one  God,  world  without  end.  Amen. 

(Note. — As  we  go  to  press  with  this  third  edi¬ 
tion,  this  Prayer  for  the  Nazarene  House  has  only 
been  used  for  two  months;  yet  it  has  already  been 
wonderfully  answered,  $15,000  having  been  pledged 
for  the  new  Nazarene  House,  out  of  the  $50,000 
required. — A.  J.  G.  B.) 


80 


(2)  SHORT  FORMS  FOR  ANOINTING 
AND  LAYING-ON  OF  HANDS. 

If  ANOINTING  be  used,  the  following  FORM 
OF  BLESSING  shall  be  said  by  the  Priest : 

O  Almighty  God,  who  hast  taught  us  by  Thy 
holy  Apostle,  St.  James,  to  anoint  the  sick  with  oil 
that  they  may  attain  their  bodily  health,  and  the  for¬ 
giveness  of  their  sins,  bless  and  sanctify,  we  beseech 
Thee,  this  oil ;  grant  that  those  who  shall  be  anointed 
therewith  may  be  delivered  from  all  pains,  troubles, 
and  diseases  of  body,  mind,  and  spirit,  and  from  all 
the  snares,  temptations,  and  assaults  of  the  powers 
of  darkness,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
with  Thee  and  the  Holy  Ghost  liveth  and  reigneth 
ever  one  God,  world  without  end.  Amen. 

The  Minister,  anointing  each  sick  person  upon 
the  forehead  and  making  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  may 
say: 

In  the  Name  of  Jesus,  I  anoint  thee  for  healing 
in  body,  mind  and  spirit.  Amen. 

If  there  be  LA  YING  ON  OF  HANDS  for  heal¬ 
ing,  the  following  form  may  be  used: 

In  the  Name  of  Jesus,  I  lay  my  hands  on  thee  for 
healing  in  body,  mind,  and  spirit.  Amen. 

After  the  Anointing  or  Laying  on  of  Hands  the 
following  BLESSING  may  be  used: 

The  Lord  bless  the  work  of  healing  begun  in  thee 
this  day  and  bring  it  to  completion  in  thy  body,  mind, 
and  spirit;  and  the  blessing  of  God  Almighty, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  be  upon  thee  and  re¬ 
main  with  thee  always.  Amen. 


81 


At  the  conclusion  of  the  Service ,  the  Minister  may 
use  PRAYERS  and  a  BENEDICTION  at  his 
discretion. 

(3)  MEDITATIONS. 

A  Preparatory  Prayer 

Our  Father,  I  pray  that  I  may  live  each  day  in 
constant  recollection  of  my  true  relation,  as  an  indi¬ 
vidual,  to  Thee.  May  my  conscious  mind  perceive 
that  Thy  Life,  Thy  Spirit,  Thy  Thoughts,  are  within 
me,  and  that  Thou  art  seeking  to  realize  Thyself, 
and  to  manifest  Thy  Love  through  me.  May  my 
mind  be  a  pure  dwelling  place  for  Thy  Spirit,  and 
my  thoughts  only  such  as  will  heal  and  bless.  May 
I  remember  that  unrighteous  anger  or  unbrotherli- 
ness  shown  to  others  thwarts  Thy  divine  purpose  and 
grieves  Thy  Holy  Spirit.  May  my  highest  aim  each 
day  be  to  manifest  God  and  to  add  to  the  happiness 
of  the  world,  and  may  I  rise  every  day  into  a  higher 
consciousness  of  Thy  Life  and  Love,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 

Texts  for  Meditation 

( Suggested  for  individual  use  while  waiting  for 
spiritual  healing.) 

Be  still  and  know  that  I  am  God.  Ps.  46:10. 

My  presence  shall  go  with  thee,  and  I  will  give 
thee  rest.  Ex.  33:14. 

The  time  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord.  Acts  3:19. 

Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind 
is  stayed  on  Thee.  Is.  26:3. 


82 


The  eternal  God  is  thy  dwelling  place,  and 
underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms.  Deut.  33 : 2 7 . 

In  Him  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being. 
Acts  17:28. 

Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.  Col.  3:3. 

I  am  the  Bread  of  Life.  St.  John  6:35. 

I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  who  strength¬ 
ened!  me.  Phil.  4:13. 

Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world.  St.  Matt.  28:20. 

For  their  sakes  I  sanctify  Myself.  St.  John 
17:19. 

The  Kingdom  of  God  is  within  you.  St.  Luke 
17:21. 

God  is  a  Spirit :  and  they  that  worship  Him  must 
worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  St.  John  4:24. 

Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?  I  Cor.  3:16. 

But  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace, 
longsuffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness, 
temperance.  Gal.  5:22-23. 

In  quietness  and  confidence  shall  be  your 
strength.  Is.  30:15. 

Men  ought  always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint. 
St.  Luke  18:1. 

Wait  for  the  Lord.  Be  strong  and  let  thy  heart 
take  courage:  yea,  wait  thou  for  the  Lord.  Ps. 
27:14. 

Speak,  Lord;  for  Thy  servant  heareth.  I  Sam. 
3:9. 

Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  Him;  for 
he  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  He  is,  and 


83 


that  He  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek 
Him.  Heb.  11:6. 


(4)  HEALING  AFFIRMATIONS  AND 
HEALING  FORMULAS. 

I.  USED  BY  JESUS  HIMSELF. 

“Son  (or  Daughter),  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee!  ” 

“Arise,  take  up  thy  bed  and  walk!  ” 

“According  to  thy  faith,  so  be  it  unto  thee !  ” 

“Hold  thy  peace  and  come  out  of  him!”  (In 
rebuking  an  evil  agency  in  the  patient.) 

“Daughter  (or  Son),  thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole;  go  in  peace  and  be  whole  of  thy  plague !  ” 

“Damsel,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise! ” 

Jesus  said,  “Be  of  good  cheer,  IT  IS  I,  be  not 
afraid.” 

“Ephphatha,  that  is,  Be  opened !  ”  (To  the  deaf.) 

Jesus:  “If  thou  canst  believe,  ALL  THINGS 
ARE  POSSIBLE  to  him  that  believeth.” 

The  Father  of  the  Demoniac  Child:  “Lord,  I 
believe;  help  thou  mine  unbelief.” 

“Thou  dumb  and  deaf  spirit,  I  charge  thee  come 
out  of  him,  and  enter  no  more  into  him !  ”  (To  deaf 
or  dumb.) 

“Go  thy  way,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole.” 


84 


“Whatsoever  things  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  be¬ 
lieve  that  ye  have  received  them  and  ye  shall  have 
them.” 

“When  ye  stand  praying,  forgive,  if  ye  have 
ought  against  any.” 

“I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous  but  sinners  to 
repentance.” 

“They  that  are  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but 
they  that  are  sick.” 

(These  are  for  those  who  think  they  are  “not 
good  enough”  to  be  healed.) 

“Go  home  to  thy  friends  and  tell  them  how  great 
things  the  Lord  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath  had 
compassion  on  thee.” 

“Rise  up  and  stand  forth  in  the  midst.” 

“Stretch  forth  thine  hand!”  (To  the  man  with 
the  withered  hand.) 

“I  thank  Thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  Heaven  and 
earth,  that  Thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise 
and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes. 

.  All  things  are  delivered  unto  Me  of  my 
Father,  and  no  man  knoweth  who  the  Son  is,  but  the 
Father;  and  who  the  Father  is,  but  the  Son,  and  he 
to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  Him.” 

“Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  you;  Seek  and  ye  shall 
find;  Knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you.” 

“WILT  THOU  be  made  whole?” 


85 


Note. — These  formulas  may  be  used,  as  Jesus 
used  them,  (1)  to  arouse  faith  in  the  patient,  and 
(2)  to  speak  the  word  of  Divine  Authority  and  as¬ 
surance,  which  is  “The  Word  of  Healing.” 

II.  USED  BY  THE  APOSTLES. 

(By  St.  Peter  to  the  cripple  at  the  Beautiful  gate 
of  the  Temple) :  •  “In  the  Name  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Nazareth,  rise  up  and  walk!  ”  Acts  3:6. 

“Grant  unto  Thy  servants  that  with  all  boldness 
they  may  speak  Thy  word,  by  stretching  forth  Thine 
hand  to  heal;  and  that  signs  and  wonders  may  be 
done  by  the  Name  of  Thy  Holy  Child  JESUS.” 
Acts  4:29-30. 

“God  anointed  Jesus  of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  with  power,  Who  went  about  doing  good, 
and  healing  all  that  were  oppressed  of  the  devil ;  for 
God  was  with  Him.”  Acts  10:38.  (St.  Peter  to 
Cornelius.) 

“Be  it  known  unto  you  all  .  that  by  the 

Name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  .  .  .  Whom 

God  raised  from  the  dead,  even  by  Him  doth  this 
man  stand  here  before  you  whole.”  Acts  4:10. 

“Paul,  stedfastly  beholding  him,  and  perceiving 
that  he  had  faith  to  be  healed,  said  with  a  loud  voice, 
Stand  upright  on  thy  feet!  And  he  leaped  and 
walked.”  Acts  14:9-10.  (St.  Paul  to  the  impotent 
cripple.) 

“Paul,  being  grieved,  turned  and  said  to  the 
spirit,  I  command  thee  in  the  Name  of  Jesus  Christ 
to  come  out  of  her!  And  he  came  out  the  same  hour.” 


86 


Acts  16:18.  (St.  Paul  to  the  girl  with  the  spirit  of 
divination.) 

“Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt 
he  saved  and  thy  house!”  (Acts  16:31.  (St.  Paul 
to  the  Philippian  jailer.) 

He  is  not  far  from  every  one  of  us;  for  in  Him 
we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being.”  (Acts 
17:27-28.  (St.  Paul  at  Athens.) 

III.  USED  IN  MODERN  TIMES. 

“The  Sun  of  Righteousness  is  rising  with  healing 
in  its  wings,  and  we  say  to  each  one  of  you,  Arise  and 
be  healed  for  your  light  is  come!  You  already  feel 
Christ’s  healing  power  and  you  will  advance  from 
strength  to  strength  until  every  one  of  you  appears  in 
Christ’s  kingdom  of  perfect  health  of  body,  soul,  and 
spirit,  with  thankfulness  in  your  hearts  and  praise 
on  your  lips  to  the  Forgiver  of  sins  and  the  Healer  of 
infirmities.  We  say  this  to  you  in  the  Name  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Nazareth,  and  in  His  Name  we  lay  our 
hands  on  you.  Amen.”  (Sir  William  Willcocks.) 

AFTER  THE  LAYING  ON  OF  HANDS,  the 
following  BLESSING  may  be  used: 

The  Lord  bless  the  work  of  healing  begun  in  thee 
this  day  and  bring  it  to  completion  in  thy  body,  mind 
and  spirit;  and  the  blessing  of  God  Almighty, 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  be  upon  thee  and  re¬ 
main  with  thee  always.  Amen. 

(In  Sacramental  Healing): 

We  that  are  refreshed  by  Thy  heavenly  benedic¬ 
tion  beseech  Thee,  O  Lord,  that  the  healing  power  of 


87 


Thy  Sacrament  may  be  profitable  to  both  our  bodies 
and  souls.  Amen.  (Sarum  Missal.) 

LORD  JESUS  CHRIST,  our  Saviour  and  Re¬ 
deemer,  hear  us  when  we  pray  to  Thee  for  our  sick 

brother . that  Thy  Holy  Eucharist 

may  avail  for  the  preservation  of  his  soul  and  body, 
and  for  his  attainment  of  eternal  life,  who  livest  and 
reignest  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  ever 
one  God.  Amen.  ( 1 2th  century. ) 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  near  thee  to  defend 
thee,  within  thee  to  refresh  thee,  around  thee  to  pre¬ 
serve  thee,  before  thee  to  guide  thee,  behind  thee  to 
justify  thee,  above  thee  to  bless  thee,  who  liveth  and 
reigneth  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  ever 
one  God.  Amen.  (10th  century.) 

“Heal  me,  O  Lord,  and  I  shall  be  healed;  save 
me  and  I  shall  be  saved,  for  Thou  art  my  praise.” 

A  Prayer  for  Blessing  on  the  Physician 

(To  be  used  by  the  Patient) 

O  most  Blessed  and  Eternal  Jesus,  Thou  who  art 
the  Great  Physician  of  our  souls,  and  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  arising  with  healing  in  thy  wings ;  to 
Thee  is  given  by  Thy  heavenly  Father  the  govern¬ 
ment  of  all  the  world,  and  Thou  disposest  every  great 
and  little  accident  to  Thy  Father’s  honour,  and  to 
the  good  and  comfort  of  them  that  love  and  serve 
Thee.  Be  pleased  to  bless  the  ministry  of  Thy 
servant  in  order  to  my  ease  and  health,  direct  his 
judgment  and  bless  the  medicines,  that  so  I  may  feel 
the  blessing  and  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord  in  the 
easing  of  my  pain  and  the  restoration  of  my  health. 


88 


And  grant,  O  Lord,  that  being  restored  to  the 
society  of  the  living,  and  to  Thy  solemn  assemblies, 
I  may  praise  Thee  and  Thy  goodness  secretly  among 
the  faithful,  and  in  the  congregation  of  Thy  re¬ 
deemed  ones  here  in  the  outer  courts  of  the  Lord,  and 
hereafter  in  Thy  Eternal  Temple  for  ever.  Amen. 

A  Treatment 

(By  a  Member  of  the  Society) 

Speaking  in  the  Name  and  in  the  Presence  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  we  tell  you  that  our 
heavenly  Father  has  heard  our  prayer  and  yours; 
and  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  present  with  us  now,  is 
laying  His  hand  on  your  head  ...  (a 
moment’s  silence)  .  .  .  You  have  been  anxious 

about  your  troubles,  but  from  now  on  you  will  not 
be  anxious.  You  will  be  rid  of  your  anxiety. 

You  are  already  better,  and  tomorrow  you  will 
be  better  than  today,  and  the  day  after  tomorrow  than 
tomorrow,  until  you  are  perfectly  cured.  You  will 
always  remember  Christ’s  words  that  it  is  with  us 
according  to  our  faith;  and  you  will  be  cheerful 
and  full  of  faith  and  a  source  of  help  and  encourage¬ 
ment  to  others. 

You  will  engrave  this  faith  and  hope  on  your 
heart  by  saying  always  and  especially  when  you  are 
about  to  go  to  sleep  at  night  and  when  you  wake  up 
in  the  morning,  “ Jesus  Christ  is  healing  me.  I  am 
better.”  You  will  say  this  again  and  again,  deliber¬ 
ately  and  slowly,  full  of  faith  and  reverence,  until  it 
gets  clean  possession  of  you. 


89 


You  will  say  these  words  full  of  faith  and  as¬ 
surance,  because  Jesus  Christ  has  told  us  to  have  the 
faith  of  little  children. 

You  will  never  forget  that  your  heavenly  F ather 
loves  you,  and  that  the  hands  of  Jesus  Christ  have 
been  laid  on  your  head  as  they  were  laid  of  old  on 
the  heads  of  those  whom  He  healed. 

“The  Eternal  God  is  thy  Refuge  and  underneath 

are  the  Everlasting  Arms.”  Deut.  33:27. 

(Sir  William  Willcocks.) 

Remember  the  Divine  Simplicity  of  the  Methods 

of  Jesus. 

For  example: 

( 1 )  When  He  invited  the  laboring  and  heavy- 
laden  to  come  to  Him : 

“I  thank  Thee,  Father,  Lord  of  Heaven  and 
Earth,  that  Thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise 
and  prudent  and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes.” 
Matt.  11:25. 

(2)  When  He  was  on  the  point  of  raising 
Lazarus  * 

“Father,  I  thank  Thee  that  Thou  heardest  Me.” 
John  11 :41. 

These  were  both  in  keeping  with  His  saying : 
“All  things  whatsoever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray, 
Believe  that  ye  have  received  them,  and  ye  shall  have 
them.”  Mark  11:24. 

For  Members  Who  are  Advancing 
As  we  become  more  expert  in  prayer,  the  natural 
and  wholesome  tendency  is  to  affirm  rather  than  to 


90 


implore — to  give  thanks  for  what  we  have  realized 
of  God’s  blessed  Will  for  us,  instead  of  repeating 
perfunctorily  the  same  old  petition  day  after  day  and 
month  after  month. 

The  Lord’s  Prayer  is  an  excellent  example  of 
this.  We  pray  “Thy  Kingdom  come”;  but  we  help 
towards  the  realization  of  this  prayer  by  adding, 
“For  Thine  is  the  Kingdom.”  We  pray  “Forgive 
us  our  trespasses”;  but  we  help  answer  the  prayer 
and  we  ourselves  fulfil  the  necessary  conditions  for 
its  answer  by  adding,  “as  we  are  forgiving  those  who 
trespass  against  us.” 

Sir  William  Willcocks,  our  member  in  Egypt, 
whom  we  have  come  to  regard  as  an  expert  in  the  art 
of  Prayer  and  who  has  sent  us  many  beautifully 
worded  petitions  which  have  greatly  helped  our  mem¬ 
bers,  sends  us  the  following  “revised  versions”  of 
familiar  Nazarene  prayers.  They  are  revised  by 
simply  introducing  the  affirmative  note  instead  of 
that  of  request  or  petition.  Many  of  our  members 
will  prefer  this  “revised  version”  of  some  familiar 
prayers : 

For  the  Society  of  the  Nazarene 

O  Lord  Jesus,  who  in  Thy  divine  compassion 
didst  minister  to  the  bodily  ills  of  man  and  didst 
bestow  upon  Thy  disciples  the  gift  of  healing  through 
the  power  of  Thy  Sacred  Name,  we  thank  Thee  for 
the  increase  of  faith  and  purity  of  life  given  to  all 
those  who  have  been  called  to  serve  Thee  in  the 
Society  of  the  Nazarene.  Thou  hast  endued  them 
with  perseverance  and  so  guided  them  by  Thy  Blessed 
Spirit  in  their  ministry  of  intercession  and  healing 


91 


that  they  are  bringing  many  souls  into  union  with 
Thee,  O  Saviour  of  the  world,  who  livest  and  reignest 
with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  ever  one  God, 
world  without  end.  Amen. 

For  Faith 

O  Lord  Jesus,  who  saidst  unto  those  who  im¬ 
plored  Thine  aid  and  whose  hope  was  stayed  on  Thee 
alone,  “According  to  thy  faith,  so  be  it  unto  thee,”  we 
thank  Thee  that  Thou  hast  granted  us  grace  to  place 
our  trust  so  fully  in  Thee,  that  we,  likewise,  are 
experiencing  the  fruition  of  Thy  blessed  assurance. 
Thou  hast  strengthened  our  faith,  Thou  hast  fortified 
it  where  it  was  weak,  so  that  we  are  being  perfected 
and  made  worthy  of  Thee,  O  Saviour,  who  ever 
livest  to  make  intercession  for  us  with  the  Father, 

world  without  end.  Amen. 

The  same  slight  modification  may  be  made  in  the 
other  prayers  printed  on  our  Prayer  Leaflet  (when 
desired)  so  that  they  may  more  readily  express  that 
real  sense  of  “eager  expectancy”  and  realization  that 
so  stimulates  our  faith  and  helps  us  to  convert  the 
petition  into  a  conscious  reality. 


92 


MR.  WILSON’S  LAST  BOOK 


God’s  Will  for  the  World 

A  Refutation  of  the  Popular  Interpretation  of  the  Phrase 

“Thy  Will  Be  Done” 

By  HENRY  B.  WILSON,  BD. 

Author  of  “Does  Christ  Still  Heal?” 

“The  Power  to  Heal,”  Etc. 

“Thy  Will  Be  Done,”  one  of  our  most  frequent  prayers  and  inherited  by 
the  Christian  from  the  very  lips  of  Christ,  is  yet  generally  misunderstood  and 
nearly  always  wrongly  used,  as  the  author  conclusively  proves  in  this  book. 

“Thy  Will  Be  Done”  should  not  be  a  sigh  of  despairing  resignation  under 
physical  sickness,  failure  and  suffering,  but  a  shout  of  triumphant  anitcipation 
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Are  There  Modern  Miracles? 

By  MABEL  POTTER  DAGGETT 

This  is  a  reprint  of  a  very  popular  article  which  appeared  in  the  Ladies’ 
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In  this  booklet,  attractively  printed  and  bound  in  art  cover  with  gilt  letter¬ 
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This  booklet  is  being  sold  at  little  more  than  cost  in  order  that  members 
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How  far  does  modem  spiritualism  conflict  with  the  teachings  of  Chris¬ 
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death  of  the  apostles,  or  is  it  still  in  active  existence?  Are  the  churches 
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A  Handbook  of  Preparation  for  Healing  of  Self  and  Others,  According  to  the 

Methods  of  Jesus. 

Directions  for  organizing  Groups  and  Guilds.  Guidance  in  carrying  on  the 
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THE  SOCIETY  OF  THE  NAZARENE 
Asheville,  N.  C. 


Cf )t  ^octetj)  of  tf )£  i^a^arene 

An  organization  for  Christians  or  those  desiring  to  become 
Christians,  founded  on  the  belief  in  our  Lord’s  continued  in¬ 
terest  in  the  health  of  the  body  as  well  as  the  salvation  of  the 
soul.  Its  object  is  the  restoration  of  the  gift  of  healing,  uni¬ 
versally  practised  in  the  early  Church.  It  aims  to  develop  the 
inner  life  and  to  inspire  a  faith  that  will  enable  man  to  appro¬ 
priate  God’s  blessing  for  body  and  soul. 

For  leaflet  of  prayers  and  information  concerning  mem 
ship,  address  the  Director: 

Rev.  A.  J.  Gayner  Banks,  M.A., 

189  Pearson  Drive, 

Asheville,  N.  C. 


“Body  and  Soul” 

By  the  REV.  PERCY  DEARMER,  M.A.,  D.D. 

Professor  of  Eccelesiastical  Art  in  the  University  of  London 

Published  by  E.  P.  Dutton  &  Co.,  $2.50.  Can  be  obtained 
from  the  Nazarene  Press,  Asheville,  N.  C. 

The  new  edition  is  now  ready  with  a  Preface  by  the  Rev. 
A.  J.  Gayner  Banks,  M.A.,  Director  of  the  Society  of  the 
Nazarene. 

This  book  is  highly  recommended  to  Nazarene  Guilds  and 
Healing  Prayer  Circles  and  Study  Groups. 

We  recommend  it  because,  after  reading  much  that  is 
mediocre  and  irrelevant,  we  find  this  book  to  contain  the  funda¬ 
mentals  of  spiritual  healing,  covering  alike  the  history, 
philosophy,  psychology  and  modem  developments  of  this  fasci¬ 
nating  theme. 

The  book  cites,  classifies  and  describes  all  the  great  works 
of  Christian  Healing  from  the  days  of  the  Apostles  down  to  the 
present  time. 


DATE  DUE 

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The  power  to  heal :  a  handbook  for  the 
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